The US president’s plane, Air Force One, has been forced to abort its flight to Switzerland and turn back after what officials described as a “minor electrical issue”. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the decision to return to Washington DC on Tuesday evening had been taken shortly after departure “out of an abundance of caution”, once the crew detected the fault. View image in fullscreen Members of the media gather after disembarking from Air Force One. Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/ReutersThe two ageing jets serving as Air Force One have been in service for nearly four decades, and efforts by Boeing to deliver replacements have been beset by repeated delays. In February 2025, a military plane carrying Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue.

Source: The Guardian January 21, 2026 13:41 UTC