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8 months ago
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken's government aircraft suffered 'mechanical issues' on his trip to Europe for NATO meetings, forcing an unexpected road trip and a delay.
The mechanical issue, which was disclosed by the State Department, forced Blinken's delegation to bus its way 193 miles from Paris to Brussels, a journey of over four hours, for a meeting of foreign ministers at NATO headquarters.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg is addressing the foreign ministers at a meeting marking the 75th anniversary of the military alliance.
As a consequence, Blinken rolled in about two hours late. The U.S. Air Force owns and operates the modified Boeing 737 Blinken uses during his globe-trotting trips, which have included repeat trips to the Middle East.
He'll always have Paris. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (L) suffered mechanical difficulties on his government aircraft, forcing a scrubbed flight from Paris to Brussels. Here Blinken UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay (R) pose for a photograph at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, 02 April 2024
Blinken also had to deal with an aircraft mechanical issue on his trip to the Davos gathering in Switzerland at the start of the year.
For that event, the nation's top diplomat traveled by helicopter from Zurich for the annual confab with top political and economic leaders in January.
He boarded his Boeing jet, only to be told he was unable to fly. Traveling aides and press flew commercial to get back home.
Blinken usually travels aboard a fleet of government executive jets featuring the same 'seafoam blue' paint job as the modified Boeing 757 that has the Air Force One call sign when the president is on board.
The vice president uses similar planes.
Blinken is in Europe for talks on Ukraine, Gaza, and chaos in Haiti
President Biden, whose administration is overseeing production of the next generation Air Force One, joked about the aircraft in a fundraiser with Bill Clinton and Barack Obama last week when comedian Stephen Colbert made reference to mechanical problems when an Alaska Airlines flight had a door plug all out in mid-flight.
'You're all busy men, you gotta go run the world. Here's an important question. All three of you have been on Air Force One. You still have the keys, Mr. Biden. That's made my Boeing right? Do those doors stay on?' Colbert asked.
'Before you get on, do you give Pete Buttigieg a socket wrench to tighten the bolts?' he joked.
'I don't sit by the door. I'm only kidding. I shouldn't even joke about it,' Biden responded.
English (US)