POLITICS

Air Force One Returns After Midair Electrical Issue

PUBLISHED Jan 20, 2026, 11:51 PM ET

Read, Watch or Listen

Media Bias Meter

Sources: 11

Center 91%

Right 9%

Sources: 11

Washington — Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews Tuesday evening after the crew detected a minor electrical issue shortly after takeoff while en route to Davos for the World Economic Forum, the White House said. The aircraft landed safely just after 11 p.m. and no injuries were reported. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president and his team will board another plane and continue to Switzerland. Onboard reporters noted brief lights outages in the press cabin. The incident occurred amid ongoing discussion of the Air Force One replacement program coverage. Based on 7 articles reviewed and supporting research.

By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

Background: Air Force One fleet in service for nearly four decades; replacement delays reported.
Departure: AF1 departed for Davos Tuesday evening with the president aboard.
Detection: Crew identified a minor electrical issue shortly after takeoff and decided to return.
Return: AF1 landed safely at Joint Base Andrews just after 11 p.m.; no injuries reported.
Continuation: White House said the president will board another aircraft and proceed to the World Economic Forum.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 11
Right Leaning:: 1
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 10

Who Benefited

Flight operations and presidential security benefited from established safety protocols and contingency planning, which allowed the president and team to continue their trip after switching aircraft with no injuries reported.

Who Impacted

Passengers, onboard press, and the president's immediate schedule suffered disruption and delay while aviation teams now face investigation and corrective actions to address the technical snag.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 11
Right Leaning:: 1
Left Leaning:: 0
Neutral:: 10
Distribution:: Left 0%, Center 91%, Right 9%

Who Benefited

Who Impacted

Passengers, onboard press, and the president's immediate schedule suffered disruption and delay while aviation teams now face investigation and corrective actions to address the technical snag.