Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, was forced to abort its flight to Switzerland on Tuesday 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 had been taken shortly after departure “out of an abundance of caution”, once the crew detected the fault.

A White House pool reporter travelling with the president said the lights in the press cabin of Air Force One flickered off briefly after the aircraft became airborne, though no further explanation was provided at the time.

On landing, Trump was expected to transfer to a second plane and continue his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The two ageing jets currently 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.

Controversy flared in 2025 when Qatar’s ruling family presented Trump with a luxury Boeing 747-8 to be added to the presidential fleet – a gesture that drew intense scrutiny. The aircraft is presently being refitted to meet US security standards.

Speaking to reporters on board on Tuesday night, Leavitt quipped that the Qatari jet was sounding “much better” at that moment.

The unscheduled turnaround was expected to delay the president’s arrival in Davos. The meeting is overshadowed by Trump’s threat of tariffs on European countries over Greenland, which he remains determined to seize.

Departing on Monday evening, Trump told reporters: “Let’s put it this way: it’s going to be a very interesting Davos.” Earlier, at a lengthy press briefing celebrating his first anniversary in office, he was asked how far he would be willing to go to acquire Greenland and said only: “You’ll find out.”

The delegation also includes secretary of state Marco Rubio, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett.

In February 2025, an air force plane carrying Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington because of a mechanical issue. In October a military plane carrying defence secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in Britain due to a crack in the windshield.

Technical problems on the presidential jet are rare due to meticulous maintenance. In 2006 the primary Air Force One suffered a mechanical malfunction while on the tarmac in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, forcing President George W Bush to board the backup aircraft, a Boeing 757, to fly to his next destination in Indonesia.