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President Donald Trump, center left, board Air Force One as he departs Zurich International Airport in Zurich, Switzerland today. Alamy Stock Photo
Air Force One
Donald Trump departs Shannon Airport on journey home from Davos
It’s understood the US President’s plane, Air Force One, refuelled on the tarmac in Shannon.
LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has departed from Shannon Airport.
It is understood the US President’s plane, Air Force One, refuelled on the tarmac in the airport as it returns from his visit to Davos in Switzerland.
Air Force One touched down in Ireland shortly after 6.20pm this evening, and took off at around 7.30pm.
Trump’s son Eric had visited Trump Doonbeg Golf Resort in County Clare in the last few days, but the US President did not get off the plane during the brief stop.
His trip to Davos got off to a bad start after his presidential plane was forced to turn back to its air base shortly after takeoff.
The White House said the return was out of an abundance of caution due to what officials described as a “minor electrical issue.” Journalists traveling with Trump reported that lights in the cabin went out briefly after takeoff.
He is travelling on a replacement aircraft which requires more fuel stops en route back to the US.
A major security operation swung into action at the airport in the last 48 hours to cater for the US President’s arrival.
An Irish Air Corps Airbus 295 maritime surveillance aircraft flew close to the airport as Air Force One was preparing to land.
Trump arrived in Davos yesterday and met with leaders after which he backed down on threats to seize Greenland by force from Denmark and announced a vague deal aimed at ensuring security of the Arctic territory.
He gave no further details of the deal, but a source close to the talks said that a 1951 Greenland defence pact would be renegotiated as part of it.
That 1951 defence pact allows the US to keep its three main military bases in Greenland and to establish new bases if deemed necessary by NATO.
Trump also lifted the promise of sanctions against European nations that spoke out against the threats to Denmark and remarked that the deal gives Washington “everything we wanted”.
This afternoon, Trump met with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy for around an hour this afternoon in Davos.
The encounter came hours before US envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were due to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Trump described the meeting as “good” and added that “everybody wants to have the war ended”.
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