Air Force One is the aircraft used by the President of the United States during official flights. Credit: Soos Jozsef, Shutterstock
President Donald Trump’s visit to Davos got off to an awkward start when Air Force One was forced to turn back shortly after takeoff due to technical problems on board.
The U.S. president was heading to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum when a crew member later discovered what authorities described as a minor electrical failure. As a precautionary measure, the plane returned to the United States, and President Trump immediately changed planes and continued his journey.
Plane returns to base for safety precautions
The incident happened late Sunday night. The White House said the flight crew identified the problem while the plane was already taking off and decided to return to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.
White House correspondent Caitlan Collins confirmed on social media that the president boarded another plane just after midnight and headed back to Davos.
Officials were keen to stress that the problem was not serious and there was no immediate danger. Still, technical issues involving Air Force One are handled with great care, and turning back is standard procedure.
Trump approaches Davos meeting
Despite the brief period of turmoil, President Trump showed no signs of slowing down. Earlier in the evening, he posted on Truth Social that the United States would be “well represented” at Davos, where he plans to meet with several world leaders.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is among those scheduled to meet with the president, and the talks are also likely to touch on rising tensions between the United States and parts of Europe. Greenland is expected to feature prominently in the wake of President Trump’s renewed interest in the region and diplomatic influence involving Denmark and other European countries.
Davos comes at a sensitive time for transatlantic relations, with defense spending, trade and geopolitical implications all in sharp focus.
An unusual problem for an aircraft known for its high safety.
Air Force One is considered one of the safest and best-maintained aircraft in the world, with multiple backup systems. Nevertheless, minor technical failures may occur, and if they do occur, we will respond immediately.
In such cases, it is not uncommon to switch aircraft back to base, especially when electrical systems are involved. The White House downplayed the incident and insisted there was no change to President Trump’s schedule.
By early Monday morning, the president was back in the air, heading to Switzerland with his Davos agenda firmly on track.
For now, the temporary anxiety appears to be only a minor delay, but it served as a reminder that even presidential travel doesn’t always go exactly as planned.
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