US President Donald Trump is en route to Davos, Switzerland, in a backup aircraft after Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews due to a “minor electrical glitch” detected shortly after takeoff.
The president is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026.
“After takeoff, the AF1 crew identified a minor electrical issue. Out of an abundance of caution, AF1 is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The President and team will board a different aircraft and continue on to Switzerland,” the Official White House Rapid Response Team said on X.
Trump’s trip comes amid rising tensions with European allies over his push to acquire Greenland. The president has said he has “a lot of meetings” scheduled in Davos to discuss the Arctic territory and suggested he could use tools beyond tariffs to advance US interests.
French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to criticise Trump’s approach, warning of a world “where international law is trampled underfoot.”
Trump is attending the WEF for the first time in six years, amid heightened US-European tensions over Greenland, and has several meetings planned with global leaders.
Trump shared messages from European leaders over his mounting pressure campaign to take control of Greenland, as he heads to the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Reports emerged that Trump sent a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre suggesting his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize was a factor in his threats against Greenland.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is among those expected to meet with Trump one-on-one on the sidelines of the summit.
Tensions over Greenland have forced a shift in calculation among some European leaders after a year in which most US allies sought to appease Trump rather than resist him or invite direct confrontation.
Trump has threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne over Paris’s decision to decline his invitation to join his “Board of Peace.” Trump also shared, in a Truth Social post, a private message he received from French President Emmanuel Macron regarding Greenland. His all-out attack on France followed Paris mocking US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s explanation of why Trump is so fixated on the Arctic territory, which is part of Denmark.
While European leaders have kept open the possibility of retaliatory trade measures against the US, for now they appear to be engaging in negotiations with President Trump. On Saturday, January 17, 2026, Trump announced tariffs on seven EU members and the UK, a move aimed at pressuring European nations to hand over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
