A fire alarm went off late Wednesday at the Davos Congress Center while President Donald Trump was attending the World Economic Forum. The alarm caused a major security response at the high-security location in Switzerland. Firefighters, police officers, and ambulances rushed to the scene, but no one was injured during the evacuation.
According to Anadolu Ajansı, police are still trying to figure out where the fire started. A spokesperson for the Graubunden cantonal police said that as of Wednesday evening, officials did not know what triggered the alarm. President Trump had been inside the building earlier that afternoon to give a speech.
This fire alarm was just the latest problem during the president’s trip to Switzerland. The journey had already faced major issues before Trump even arrived in Davos. The trouble began when the aircraft carrying President Trump had to turn back to Joint Base Andrews shortly after takeoff. The Boeing VC-25, commonly known as Air Force One, experienced a “minor electrical issue” on January 20. Lights in the press cabin went out briefly during the flight.
The president’s trip faced multiple setbacks from the start
President Trump boarded the plane at 9:34 PM. By 10:15 PM, flight tracking data showed the aircraft turning around and heading back to the East Coast. The plane landed at Joint Base Andrews just before 11:10 PM Eastern time. The White House said the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.”
The electrical problem forced President Trump to switch to a backup plane, an Air Force C-32. He took off just after midnight on January 21, heading to Zurich. The flight took about seven hours. Trump’s attendance at the forum came amid growing tensions, as European leaders push back against threats from the president.
— Conflict Alarm (@ConflictAlarm) January 21, 2026
BREAKING — DAVOS UNDER FIRE
Reports say the WEF conference centre has been EVACUATED amid an emergency response.
Firefighters everywhere. Helicopters overhead. Local media cite a fire at a nearby hotel.
LA7 reporter on scene: “It’s full of firefighters… this is an… pic.twitter.com/CuEieomSqy
The VC-25 747s have been in service since 1990. President Trump has complained about the age of these planes before, and this incident supports his concerns. The Air Force is building replacement aircraft called the VC-25B, which are converted 747-8s. However, these planes have been heavily delayed. They were supposed to arrive by 2024, but the Air Force now expects the first delivery in mid-2028.
— WashingtonAmerica.Net (@WADailyNews) January 21, 2026
|•| Air Force One made a U-turn over the Atlantic due to a “minor” electrical issue and has safely returned to Joint Base Andrews. President Trump and passengers are being offloaded and will continue on another plane shortly.
Coincidentally, at the exact same time and in the… pic.twitter.com/RjZJLXGOVm
Because of the delays, President Trump made an unusual decision to accept another 747 from the government of Qatar. The Air Force is currently modifying that plane, though details and costs have been kept secret. The goal is for this plane to temporarily serve as Air Force One while Trump is still in office.
Meanwhile, back home, some MAGA supporters are shifting allegiances as political dynamics continue to evolve. The backup C-32 plane that Trump used has also had problems recently. Last year, two different C-32s carrying high-ranking officials, including the Secretary of Defense, had to divert because of cracked windshields. Swiss police also reported another fire-related emergency in Davos that same evening. A fondue shack near a hotel caught fire, which led to a temporary evacuation of hotel guests.
