Air Force One tech glitch delays Trump's Davos arrival, plane turns back after an hour in air

White House press secretary said the plane decided to return to the US after the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue”.

Updated on: Jan 21, 2026, 15:52:17 IST

By HT News Desk

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US President Donald Trump's arrival at the Davos summit was delayed after Air Force One suffered a "minor electrical issue."

Cars were seen rushing to Joint Base Andrews after the Air Force One returned due to a technical glitch (Getty Images via AFP)

The plane, which took off from Joint Andrews on Tuesday night, was in the air for at least an hour when a tech glitch forced it to turn back to the US.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the plane decided to return to the US after the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue”.

"After takeoff, the AF1 crew identified a minor electrical issue. Out of an abundance of caution, AF1 is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The President and team will board a different aircraft and continue on to Switzerland," read an official statement issued by the White House on the official Rapid Responses page on X.

After arriving back in the US, Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, which is typically used for the President's domestic trips.

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The President was reported to be safe and is now en-route to Switzerland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that Trump is expected to be three hours late due to the electrical issue.

"I believe President Trump is going to be about three hours late. I haven't seen the updated schedule," Bessent told reporters.

Trump's visit to Davos is set to be a closely watched one due to the president's recent warnings and threats towards Greenland. Trump finds himself at odds with his NATO and western allies as he continues to push for a US takeover of the autonomous island, which is currently part fo the Kingdom of Denmark.

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