US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s flight to Germany for the Munich Security Conference was abruptly turned around on Thursday night due to a mechanical issue. The Boeing C-32 aircraft, a converted Boeing 757, had been en route to the conference when the issue, reportedly related to the cockpit windshield, arose approximately 90 minutes into the flight. The plane landed safely at Joint Base Andrews, just outside Washington, shortly before 10pm ET.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce confirmed the incident, stating, “The plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue. 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.”
Despite the setback, Rubio is expected to continue his journey to Germany, where he will attend the Munich Security Conference, running from February 14 to 16. Rubio’s trip to Germany marks his second overseas journey as Secretary of State. He will also travel to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates in the coming days to address the ongoing Gaza conflict and President Donald Trump’s proposal for US involvement in the Palestinian enclave.
At the Munich Security Conference, high-level US representatives are set to meet with their Russian counterparts on Friday to discuss potential resolutions to the Ukraine conflict, as announced by President Trump. Ukraine’s representatives are also invited, but the exact format of the discussions remains unclear.
Rubio’s visit to Germany comes after his confirmation as Secretary of State just hours after Trump’s inauguration in January. He is also slated to meet with key leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, during the conference.
