A mechanical malfunction mid-flight forced Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plane to make an emergency return to Joint Base Andrews late Thursday night, delaying his departure to the Munich Security Conference where 60 world leaders await his arrival.
“This evening, en route from Washington to Munich, the plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.
“The plane has turned around and is returning to Joint Base Andrews. The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft.”
The pilot’s windshield of the plane reportedly broke approximately 90 minutes into the flight, forcing the plane to return to U.S. soil. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. Jim Risch was also aboard the aircraft. The plane landed at Joint Base Andrews just before 10 p.m. EST, and Rubio was able to resume his journey after midnight on a smaller aircraft.
Social media users first noticed the Secretary’s plane making an unusual turn, tracking its emergency return to base.
The delay threatens to impact Rubio’s scheduled Friday morning meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich.
Following the conference, Rubio plans to visit Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates as part of a broader Middle East diplomatic mission. The trip comes as Rubio settles into his role as America’s top diplomat following his unanimous Senate confirmation earlier this year.
President Donald Trump outlined his foreign policy vision at his inauguration, stating, “I want to be a peacemaker and a unifier. America will reclaim its rightful place as the greatest, most powerful, most respected nation on earth, inspiring the awe and admiration of the entire world.”
During his recent confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio addressed these key foreign policy challenges, highlighting concerns about Chinese influence over the Panama Canal.
“I’m compelled to suspect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated,” Rubio said in response to questioning from Sen. John Curtis, R-U.T. “In reality, a foreign power today possesses through their companies, which we know are not independent, the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict.”
The administration’s other foreign policy goals include addressing the Russia-Ukraine war, resolving Middle East conflicts, and reasserting America’s place as a world leader.
The mechanical issue marks an early challenge for the former Florida Senator as he begins his tenure as Secretary of State, tasked with implementing the president’s international agenda across multiple continents.