Air Force One, the presidential aircraft carrying U.S. President Donald Trump to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, turned back mid-flight Tuesday night after the crew detected a minor electrical issue, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
The aircraft returned to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland shortly after takeoff as a precaution. Passengers aboard reported brief lighting problems in the press cabin before the decision was made to reverse course. Trump and his delegation are expected to continue to Switzerland on a different aircraft.
The mishap comes as Trump embarks on his first major international trip of 2026, destined for the annual global economic gathering where he is set to deliver high-profile remarks and engage with business leaders and world officials.
A central focus of Trump’s Davos agenda is his increasingly contentious stance on Greenland—a Danish territory—where he has reiterated that the United States will not back down in pursuing what he deems a strategic interest, despite mounting criticism from NATO allies and European governments.
Trump’s rhetoric over a potential U.S. claim on Greenland has triggered diplomatic pushback, with European leaders decrying what they view as new imperialistic ambitions. The debate over Greenland‘s future has become intertwined with broader transatlantic tensions, including discussions about NATO cohesion and trade relations.
At Davos, the president is also expected to promote his vision of American global leadership, engage corporate CEOs, and advance initiatives such as the controversial Board of Peace—a proposed international panel tied to post-conflict reconstruction efforts in the Middle East that has drawn mixed reactions from allies.
Despite the earlier technical setback, Trump’s arrival in Switzerland is anticipated to spark intense diplomatic dialogue and further scrutiny of his foreign-policy objectives in the weeks ahead.
