Air Force One had to double back like it missed an exit after trouble popped off in the air with President Donald Trump on board.
Not long after lifting off for Switzerland Tuesday evening, the president’s plane turned around and headed back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland when a “minor electrical issue” showed up, according to the White House.
Reporters riding with Trump said the lights in the press section flickered and went out for a moment, setting off side-eye and cause a little panic. Now, Trump didn’t stay grounded long. He switched planes, regrouped, and took off again, finally landing in Zurich around 12:40 p.m. local time, almost three hours later than planned.
From there, he was scheduled to keep it moving to Davos for the World Economic Forum, where he’s slated to talk shop with world leaders.
The midair scare puts fresh attention on the aging Air Force One fleet. Right now, the Air Force is still rocking two Boeing 747-200B planes that have been in rotation since 1990. They’ve been upgraded over the years, but keeping them in the sky is getting more expensive as the frames and engines continue to age.
Trump has been vocal about his disappointment with the planes, calling out delays and dragging Boeing more than once. Last year, his administration said it was “looking at alternatives” after setbacks slowed down delivery of two new jets meant to replace the current ones.
Even with the criticism and questions swirling, the White House says everything is legit. Officials insist using the aircraft is legal and say it’ll be donated to Trump’s presidential library once he’s out of office. Bottom line: Air Force One made it, but the old jet showed its age—and folks definitely noticed.