WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump faced an unexpected travel hiccup when his aircraft, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews due to a minor electrical issue shortly after takeoff on Tuesday night. According to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the aircraft landed safely with Trump on board at 11:07 p.m. ET, just over an hour after departing at approximately 9:40 p.m. ET.

After the grounding, Trump was seen boarding a new, smaller aircraft that will be designated Air Force One, in compliance with standard procedure. This replacement, identified as a Boeing 757, took flight early Wednesday morning en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that this delay could push back Trump’s arrival by around three hours.

Awaiting the President in Switzerland are a number of international allies who are reportedly concerned about Trump's controversial push for the United States to take control of Greenland. In addition, he has threatened to introduce new tariffs on key allies including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany unless they demonstrate support for his agenda.

The tension surrounding these trade policies has already impacted global markets. Following Trump's announcement, the S&P 500 experienced its most significant drop since October, closing down nearly 2.1%. The Nasdaq Composite fell more than 2.4%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a decline of just over 1.7%. In response to these developments, European officials have scheduled an emergency summit for Thursday to discuss potential retaliatory tariffs, signaling a growing rift in transatlantic relations.