PRESIDENT Trump’s Air Force One was forced to turn around on his way to showdown talks with Europe over Greenland.
Trump is slated to give the keynote speech at the World Economic Forum today but his plane had to perform a dramatic U-turn after experiencing technical difficulties.
He’s due to meet with several European leaders for the first time since vowing to slap tariffs on several Nato countries including the UK as he continues his campaign to annex Greenland.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after take-off when the crew aboard Air Force One identified a minor electrical issue and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.
On board were senior members of the Trump administration, including secretary of state Marco Rubio, chief of staff Susie Wiles, adviser Stephen Miller, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, communications director Stephen Chung and chief of protocol Monica Crowley.
A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after take-off, but no explanation was immediately offered.
About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.
It landed in Maryland at 11.07pm local time.
Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.
The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades.
Boeing has been working on replacements, but the program has faced a series of delays.
The planes are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology.
They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.
It comes after Trump said the Greenland situation would “work out pretty well” as he refused to spell out his next move amid escalating tensions between the US and Europe.
The US President was asked about potential tariffs on Europe if allies fail to back his push to acquire Greenland.
Speaking after a White House briefing marking one year back in office, he said: “We have a lot of meetings scheduled on Greenland.
“And I think things are going to work out pretty well.”
Pressed on how far he is willing to go to secure the Arctic territory, Trump offered only a brief reply: “You’ll find out.”
He also rejected suggestions that his pursuit of Greenland could fracture the Nato alliance, saying: “I think that we will work something out where Nato is going to be very happy, and where we’re going to be very happy.
“But we need it [Greenland] for security purposes, we need it for national security and even world security.”
The comments mark a more even tone from the president a day after sharper rhetoric, as he prepares to meet European leaders at the World Economic Forum.
Trump’s remarks come as anxiety grows in Greenland, where leaders have warned residents to prepare for worst-case scenarios amid escalating rhetoric from Washington.
Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said a US attack was “not likely” but could not be ruled out, as officials reviewed civil-defence plans that may include advising households to stockpile at least five days’ worth of food.
In Denmark, anger has been particularly sharp, as Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen cancelled plans to attend the opening of the Davos summit to address parliament.
She warned that Greenlanders and Danes did not wish to become “the centre of a conflict between the United States and Europe”.
Greenland and Denmark have both stressed the island is part of Nato, warning that any escalation would have consequences far beyond the Arctic.
They also condemned Trump’s use of threats on social media, with Nielsen describing the tone as “disrespectful” and insisting Greenland would respond only through formal diplomatic channels.
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