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Saturday, Jan 24, 2026
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Minor Air Force One Glitch Prompts Push to Modernise Presidential Aircraft, White House Says Trump Was Right
After Air Force One returns to Joint Base Andrews due to a technical issue, the administration argues the incident underscores the need for updated presidential transport
Air Force One, the aircraft carrying President Donald Trump, was forced to return to Joint Base Andrews shortly after departing for Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday evening because of a minor electrical issue, prompting renewed calls within the White House to accelerate plans for a modern replacement.
The plane, a Boeing VC-25 variant that has served presidents for nearly four decades, turned back about an hour into its flight after the crew identified a problem and, out of an abundance of caution, brought the aircraft back to Maryland.
A brief lights outage in the press cabin was reported soon after takeoff, but no further disruption occurred, and the president continued his journey to the World Economic Forum on a backup Air Force C-32 aircraft.
White House officials seized on the incident to emphasise that the ageing Air Force One fleet requires modernisation.
A spokesperson characterised the glitch as proof that President Trump’s long-standing concerns about the need to update the presidential aircraft were valid, arguing that newer, more capable jets are essential for presidential travel and national security.
The Pentagon formally accepted a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar last year that is intended to be retrofitted as a future Air Force One, and officials say that aircraft will enter service once its advanced communications, defensive systems and other customisations are completed.
The episode has revived discussion among policymakers and defence planners about the pace of the replacement programme and the strain on the current jets, which combine decades of service with rigorous maintenance routines.
While the electrical issue was quickly resolved and did not jeopardise the president’s schedule, the White House framing of the event underscores its broader effort to advocate for a modern presidential airlift capability that aligns with twentieth-first-century demands and Trump’s emphasis on operational readiness.
The plane, a Boeing VC-25 variant that has served presidents for nearly four decades, turned back about an hour into its flight after the crew identified a problem and, out of an abundance of caution, brought the aircraft back to Maryland.
A brief lights outage in the press cabin was reported soon after takeoff, but no further disruption occurred, and the president continued his journey to the World Economic Forum on a backup Air Force C-32 aircraft.
White House officials seized on the incident to emphasise that the ageing Air Force One fleet requires modernisation.
A spokesperson characterised the glitch as proof that President Trump’s long-standing concerns about the need to update the presidential aircraft were valid, arguing that newer, more capable jets are essential for presidential travel and national security.
The Pentagon formally accepted a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar last year that is intended to be retrofitted as a future Air Force One, and officials say that aircraft will enter service once its advanced communications, defensive systems and other customisations are completed.
The episode has revived discussion among policymakers and defence planners about the pace of the replacement programme and the strain on the current jets, which combine decades of service with rigorous maintenance routines.
While the electrical issue was quickly resolved and did not jeopardise the president’s schedule, the White House framing of the event underscores its broader effort to advocate for a modern presidential airlift capability that aligns with twentieth-first-century demands and Trump’s emphasis on operational readiness.
