The US president resumed his journey to Europe on a Boeing 757, departing just after midnight on Wednesday.
Published January 21, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s passenger plane was forced to make a U-turn about an hour after departing from its base in Davos, Switzerland, bound for the World Economic Forum.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt said Air Force One, carrying the president, his aides and reporters, returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly after 11pm on Tuesday night due to a “minor electrical issue.”
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President Trump resumed his trip to the forum, where he is scheduled to meet and address several world leaders in a small Boeing 757.
The plane, which is typically used for domestic travel to smaller airports, departed just after midnight local time on Wednesday (5 p.m. Japan time), more than two hours after the first flight took off.
With its classic blue and white livery, Air Force One is arguably one of the most iconic aircraft in the world and an instantly recognizable symbol of the US presidency.
The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly 40 years. Boeing is working to develop a replacement, but plans have faced repeated delays.
The plane is equipped with radiation shielding and anti-missile technology, and incorporates a variety of communication systems to allow the president to maintain contact with the military from anywhere in the world.
Last year, Qatar’s ruling family gifted President Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added to Air Force One’s fleet, which is currently being refurbished to meet security requirements.
Levitt joked to reporters Tuesday night that the Qatari jets sounded “much better.”
Last February, an Air Force One plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington due to mechanical problems.
In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in Britain due to a crack in its windshield.
