A plane carrying U.S. Secretary of State Marcio Rubio to Munich, Germany, was forced to return to Maryland late Thursday night after experiencing a mechanical issue, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred approximately 90 minutes after takeoff, prompting the aircraft to turn back to Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, who was aboard the flight, stated that the plane landed safely shortly before 10 p.m. ET. “The Secretary intends to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a separate aircraft,” Bruce said in a statement.
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While no further details were immediately provided, an official familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that the issue was related to the cockpit windshield of the C-32 aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 often used for government travel.
Secretary Rubio was en route to attend the Munich Security Conference, a high-profile gathering of global leaders and policymakers that begins Friday. He is expected to join Vice President JD Vance, who traveled separately, for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions and ongoing discussions about U.S. involvement in negotiating an end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, following recent remarks by President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
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Also traveling with Rubio was Republican Senator James Risch of Idaho, who was reportedly unharmed during the incident.
The Munich Security Conference is a critical forum for addressing international security challenges, and Rubio’s participation is seen as vital to reinforcing U.S. commitments to its allies. Despite the delay, officials emphasized that the Secretary’s schedule remains on track, with plans to proceed to the Middle East after his engagements in Germany.
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