A U.S. military aircraft carrying Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was forced to make an emergency landing in the United Kingdom on Wednesday after a crack was discovered in the cockpit windshield, officials confirmed.
The aircraft was en route from Brussels to the United States following a NATO defense ministers’ meeting when the crew detected the issue. As a precautionary measure, the plane diverted to RAF Mildenhall, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said that the crew followed standard safety procedures and that no injuries were reported. “All passengers, including Secretary Hegseth, are safe,” he said in a statement.
Hegseth later posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“All good. Thank God. Continue mission.”
This is not the first incident involving a U.S. government aircraft this year. Earlier in 2025, another plane carrying senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, was forced to return to base due to mechanical problems.
Officials said an investigation into the cause of the windshield crack is underway, but there are no indications of foul play.
