Hegseth’s Plane Makes Emergency Landing in UK

A U.S. military aircraft carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom on Wednesday after a crack was discovered in the plane’s windshield, the Pentagon said.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said everyone on board, including Hegseth, is safe.

"All good. Thank God. Continue mission!" Hegseth posted on X.

Last month, a minor hydraulic problem forced President Donald Trump's helicopter to make an unscheduled landing in the U.K. The president was scheduled to stop at the London Stansted Airport before returning to the United States. After landing at a nearby airfield, he and first lady Melania Trump transferred to a backup aircraft that completed the trip.

The Trumps later boarded Air Force One and flew back to the U.S. No injuries were reported.

Hegseth was returning to the U.S. from NATO’s Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels, Belgium.

At the meeting, Hegseth spoke about the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022 with Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of the neighboring country. The Trump administration has been working to reach a resolution for months.

“If this war does not end, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States, along with our allies, will take the steps necessary to impose costs on Russia for its continued aggression,” Hegseth said.

Hegseth also said the “most effective deterrence” to Russian “aggression” is a “lethal, capable and European-led NATO,” The Hill reported.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the meeting that the country’s defense needs next year will total $120 billion.

Trump initially pressured Ukraine to make concessions and suggested territorial swaps with Russia. However, Trump said in a Truth Social post last month that he thinks Ukraine, with the European Union's support, "is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form."

The post came a little over one month after Trump and Putin met at a military base in Alaska.