Rubio’s Flight to Germany Abruptly Turns Back Over Mid-Air Issue [WATCH]

A military jet carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to the Munich Security Conference in Germany was forced to turn around Thursday night after encountering a mechanical issue mid-flight, as reported by The New York Post.

According to State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, the plane had to return to Joint Base Andrews after an unspecified issue arose.

🚨🇺🇸#BREAKING | NEWS ⚠️
Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives back to DC to board another plane heading back to 🇩🇪Munich Germany after the first plane had to turn around due to a cracked cockpit window.

He has now arrived in Germany moments ago here is his flight, leaving DC… pic.twitter.com/qwZDmcKbWN

— Todd Paron🇺🇸🇬🇷🎧👽 (@tparon) February 14, 2025

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“This evening, en route from Washington to Munich, the plane on which Secretary Rubio is flying experienced a mechanical issue,” Bruce confirmed in a statement. She added that Rubio remains committed to his diplomatic mission and will continue his travel plans using a different aircraft.

Reports suggest the problem stemmed from a cockpit windshield issue on the Air Force’s Boeing C-32 aircraft. While Axios cited a U.S. official claiming that a windshield crack was not a major safety concern, the situation was severe enough to warrant turning back.

Flight tracking data showed the aircraft abruptly reversing course over the Atlantic near Maine, maintaining an altitude of about 10,000 feet as it made its way back to Washington.

🚨 BREAKING: Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plane, which was heading to Munich, Germany, for the Munich Security Conference, has turned around and is now heading back to the U.S.

Vice President JD Vance arrived in Munich on Thursday, and Secretary Rubio was supposed to join… pic.twitter.com/DXO5smA8m5

— Tony Lane 🇺🇸 (@TonyLaneNV) February 14, 2025

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch (R-Idaho) was also aboard the aircraft.

It remains unclear whether this unexpected delay will affect a high-stakes Friday morning meeting in Munich, where Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled to discuss the nearly three-year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

This incident comes as military aviation faces heightened scrutiny following a series of crashes involving U.S. aircraft. Just last month, an $81 million Air Force F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.

Earlier this week, a Navy EA-18G Growler plunged into San Diego Harbor. Thankfully, the pilots in both cases managed to eject safely before impact.

However, not all recent aviation mishaps have been so fortunate. On January 29, a U.S. Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet while flying along the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport, tragically resulting in 67 deaths.

While mechanical issues in military aircraft aren’t uncommon, the timing of this latest incident raises eyebrows. With tensions high and crucial international meetings on the horizon, it’s a reminder that even the most sophisticated government operations can be derailed by technical failures.

BREAKING: A plane carrying Secretary Marco Rubio was forced to return to Joint Base Andrews tonight due to a “mechanical issue” 90 minutes after takeoff, according to the State Dept. He was heading to Munich for a security conference. Rubio will make the trip on a separate plane. pic.twitter.com/FBMKt0z3Wv

— Suburban Black Man 🇺🇸 (@niceblackdude) February 14, 2025

Rubio remains undeterred, and despite this setback, he intends to press forward with his diplomatic engagements in both Germany and the Middle East.