Topline
The aircraft carrying President Donald Trump to Davos was forced to turn around and return to Joint Base Andrews late Tuesday, after pilots detected a “minor electrical issue,” meaning the president flew to Switzerland on a backup jet.
A view of Air Force One after returning to Joint Base Andrews in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
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Key Facts
Flight tracking data on ADS-B Exchange showed Air Force One took off from the military base in Maryland but made a U-turn over the Atlantic Ocean near Long Island.
The Trump administration’s “Rapid Response” X account said the plane’s flight crew “identified a minor electrical issue” shortly after takeoff.
They then decided to return to Joint Base Andrews “out of an abundance of caution.”
The account added Trump and his team would board a different aircraft and continue with their planned trip to Switzerland.
The plane carrying the president landed safely at Joint Base Andrews at around 11:07 p.m., CNN reported, citing the White House press pool.
Trump and his team were able to depart Andrews base shortly after midnight on a different aircraft, CNN later added.
Will The Plane Issue Impact Trump’s Schedule?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is already in Davos, told reporters that Trump will arrive there at least three hours later than planned due to the issue with Air Force One.
What Do We Know About The Presidential Jet?
The aircraft initially carrying President Donald Trump to Switzerland was a Boeing VC-25A, the specialized version of the 747 jumbo jet that primarily serves as Air Force One. The ageing aircraft has been been serving as the presidential transport since 1990, and Boeing has been working on a replacement VC-25B, based on the newer 747-8 Intercontinental. However delivery of the new planes has been delayed from its initially planned date of 2024 to 2027. Trump has regularly voiced his frustrations over the delays and has threatened to seek out alternatives.
Tangent
While the Air Force operates two VC-25A’s, ADB-S tracking data showed the president and his delegation flew to Switzerland onboard a Boeing C-32A, which is based on the Boeing 757. Although the C-32A has occasionally been deployed to serve as Air Force One, the plane is primarily used to transport other senior officials like the Vice President (under the call sign Air Force Two), the secretary of state and the First Lady. With Trump on board, however, the smaller jet is still called Air Force One, as that is the standard call sign for any Air Force aircraft with the president on board.
The U.S. Air Force Boeing C-32A which was used to carry President Donald Trump to Switzerland after the larger VC-25A returned to Joint Base Andrews due to a technical issue.
Getty Images
Further Reading
Greenland Prime Minister Says Military Invasion ‘Can’t Be Ruled Out’ (Forbes)
Trump Shares Private Texts Sent By Macron And NATO Secretary General On Greenland (Forbes)
