A "minor electrical issue" forced Air Force One to return to Joint Base Andrews late Tuesday while carrying President Donald Trump, a White House official told The New York Times. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the president would board a replacement aircraft to continue his journey to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday.
The delay cast doubt on whether Trump would arrive before his speech, scheduled for 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. Eastern) on Wednesday, according to The New York Times. The outlet reported that his agenda includes high-stakes meetings with global leaders, some of whom have challenged his strategies, including the potential annexation of Greenland and a "Board of Peace" designed to monitor the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Leavitt explained that the decision to turn around was made "out of an abundance of caution" after the crew noticed the fault moments after takeoff, The New York Times reported. The publication noted that cabin lighting failed during the incident, and the aircraft touched down at 11:07 p.m. Senior officials accompanying the president included Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
The presidential fleet relies on two customized Boeing 747s, both of which have been in service for over 35 years. The New York Times highlighted that these aging jets have experienced recurrent maintenance issues, a point of frequent complaint for Trump.
Aviation expert Keith Tonkin told The New York Times that while aircraft electrical systems power vital functions like flight controls, they are designed with backups. Consequently, the choice to abort the flight indicated the pilots viewed the malfunction as "relatively critical," though Tonkin noted that older aircraft are generally less reliant on electrical systems than modern counterparts.
The New York Times reported that while Trump's first administration secured a deal for two new 747-8 planes, they will not be ready until after his current term. Additionally, a 747-8 received from Qatar in May requires significant work, and the Defense Department has not confirmed the timeline for installing the required security measures.
