Global summits are usually all about diplomacy and big statements, but President Donald Trump’s journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos took an unexpected turn before it really got going.
Rather than cruising smoothly across the Atlantic, Air Force One found itself heading back home not long after takeoff, adding fresh attention to the ongoing concerns surrounding the aging presidential aircraft.
Electrical Trouble Forces a Turnaround
Less than an hour into the flight from Joint Base Andrews to Switzerland, the crew detected an electrical problem on board the presidential plane.
The issue was serious enough to prompt an immediate decision to turn around and return to base.
Reporters traveling with the president noticed a brief power outage in the press cabin shortly after departure, underscoring that something wasn’t quite right.
Awkward Timing on the World Stage
The timing of the incident raised eyebrows, as Trump was en route to meetings with European leaders, where one of the talking points was expected to be his controversial interest in Greenland.
Instead of landing in Davos, the aircraft’s mechanical hiccup temporarily grounded those plans and shifted attention back to the state of Air Force One itself.
An Aging Fleet Under Growing Pressure
The two planes that currently serve as Air Force One are heavily modified Boeing 747-200Bs that may have been in service since around 1990, dating back to the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
Over the years, several administrations have argued that the aircraft are overdue for replacement, citing both age and rising maintenance demands.
A Replacement Project That Keeps Slipping
Plans to replace the aging jets officially took shape in 2016, when President Barack Obama approved an initial Boeing contract to build new Air Force One aircraft.
By that point, the existing planes were already approaching three decades in service.
When Trump first entered the White House, he publicly criticized the project’s price tag and pushed Boeing to lower the cost, eventually settling on a $3.9 billion deal.
Since then, however, delays and cost overruns have reshaped the timeline and budget.
The new VC-25B aircraft, once expected during President Joe Biden’s term, are now scheduled for delivery in 2029, with estimated costs rising to $5.3 billion.
A Temporary Solution From an Unlikely Source
Frustrated by the slow pace, Trump—who returned to office a year ago—looked for a stopgap option.
That search led to an unusual solution: a luxury Boeing 747-8 donated by the Qatari royal family.
The Pentagon accepted the aircraft and is currently upgrading it with the security systems required for presidential travel.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt couldn’t resist a bit of humor after Tuesday’s incident, joking that the Qatari jet was sounding “much better” at the moment.
The temporary Air Force One is expected to be ready by February 2026.
Mechanical Issues Are Rare, But Not Unheard Of
Despite the age of the fleet, serious mechanical problems on Air Force One have been relatively uncommon.
One notable incident occurred in 2006, when staff discovered damage to six landing gear tires while President George W. Bush was in Vietnam.
Those tires had blown out during landing, forcing Bush to switch planes for his return trip while staff flew separately, according to reports at the time.
Past Incidents That Made Headlines
A couple of years earlier, in 2004, Bush’s Air Force One experienced another scare when a wing flap came loose from its track during a flight to Tennessee.
The issue was resolved without injury, but it added to the aircraft’s growing maintenance history.
Looking further back, the last major issue before that dates to 1984, during Ronald Reagan’s presidency.
Reagan was flying on a much older Boeing 707 when a relay failure caused a sudden loss of cabin pressure at 21,000 feet.
The pilot quickly descended to a safer altitude, and the plane later landed safely in Washington, D.C., though some passengers reported ear pain.
What Comes Next for Presidential Travel?
Tuesday’s aborted flight didn’t result in injuries or lasting damage, but it did reignite debate about how long the current Air Force One fleet can reliably serve.
With replacement aircraft still years away and a temporary solution being prepared, questions remain about whether the next major presidential trip will unfold without incident—or add another chapter to the long history of America’s most famous plane.
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