The White House releases a statement After taking off for Switzerland on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump’s aircraft, Air Force One, is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The crew of Air Force One discovered “a minor electrical issue” after takeoff and, out of prudence, opted to turn around, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. The aircraft’s press cabin lights temporarily went out after takeoff, according to a reporter on board, but no explanation was given. After returning, Trump will board a different plane to continue his journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The two aircraft that make up Air Force One have been in service for almost forty years. Boeing has started developing replacements, but there have been several setbacks. The Qatari ruling family gave Trump a luxurious Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to add to the Air Force One fleet last year, a move that drew a lot of criticism. Currently, that aircraft is being modified to comply with security regulations. On Tuesday night, Leavitt quipped to reporters on Air Force One that a Qatari flight was currently sounded “much better.”
