WASHINGTON — Air Force One, carrying President Donald Trump, unexpectedly returned to Joint Base Andrews roughly an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that the aircraft returned due to the discovery of “a minor electrical issue” shortly after takeoff. The crew, prioritizing safety, opted to head back to base.

A reporter on board noted that the lights in the press section briefly dimmed after takeoff, though no immediate clarification was provided. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, reporters were informed that the plane would be returning.

President Trump is expected to transfer to another aircraft to continue his travel plans to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays. The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

Last year, the ruling family of Qatar gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to be added into the Air Force One fleet, a move that faced great scrutiny. That plane is currently being retrofitted to meet security requirements.

Leavitt joked to reporters on Air Force One Tuesday night that a Qatari jet was sounding “much better” right now.

Last February, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in United Kingdom due to a crack in the windshield.

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