A mechanical issue forced a plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to return to Joint Base Andrews where he switched to a smaller aircraft and resumed his flight,
Rubio was on his way to Munich, Germany from Washington, D.C. for the Munich Security Conference on Thursday night when the plane experienced a mechanical issue, according to spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards a plane as he departs Joint Base Andrews for the Munich Security Conference, in Maryland, U.S., February 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)
The plane turned around and returned to Joint Base Andrews where it arrived just before 10 p.m. EST. Fox News reports Rubio was back in the air after midnight.
An official said the mechanical issue had to do with the cockpit windshield on the C-32, a converted Boeing 757, occurred about 90 minutes after the flight took off from Joint Base Andrews.
Bruce said Rubio intended to continue his travel to Germany and the Middle East on a different aircraft.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to depart Joint Base Andrews for the Munich Security Conference, in Maryland, U.S., February 13, 2025. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool)
Rubio is expected to travel to the Middle East for a few days, visiting Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
His impending visit to the Middle East comes at a pivotal time in foreign policy, as Israel and Hamas are implementing a three-stage ceasefire agreement after 16 months of war in Gaza.
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It was not immediately clear if Thursday’s delay would cause Rubio to miss a scheduled Friday morning meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
