US President Donald Trump plane returned to Joint Base Andrews late Tuesday due to what the White House described as a “minor electrical issue”, briefly interrupting his trip to Switzerland for the Davos forum. The aircraft landed safely shortly after 0400 GMT, according to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution”.
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Journalists traveling with the president reported a brief loss of cabin lighting shortly after takeoff. Following the unscheduled return, Trump switched aircraft at the Maryland air base and resumed his journey at around 0500 GMT, roughly two-and-a-half hours after the initial departure.
🔶️ Air Force One, which President Trump recently boarded to head to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has suddenly TURNED AROUND and seems to be headed back to DC
Per the White House, Air Force One suffered an “electrical issue” .. pic.twitter.com/bbIaXea9xN
— Monika (@Monika_is_His) January 21, 2026
Air Force One, with its signature blue and white livery, remains among the most recognizable symbols of the US presidency. But Trump has been openly critical of the aging Boeing 747-200B aircraft currently serving as the official presidential jets. The models entered service in 1990 under president George H.W. Bush, and plans to replace them have been delayed.
Trump said last year his administration was considering alternatives to Boeing amid repeated setbacks in the delivery schedule for two newer 747-8 aircraft. The issue has taken on added complexity following Qatar’s donation of a Boeing 747 to the Pentagon for potential presidential use, a move Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth accepted in May.
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The Qatari aircraft, reportedly valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, has raised legal and ethical questions about the propriety of a foreign government providing the US president with an aircraft for such sensitive purposes. Security concerns have also been flagged due to the intense modifications typically required for presidential travel.
Despite the brief disruption, Trump is expected to participate in the Davos forum as scheduled on Wednesday.