Target flies to Washington the week its new CEO defends a turnaround plan

Target Corporation flew from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport on May 13, 2026, a trip of just under two hours aboard its Gulfstream G280, tail number N484EM.

The same week, new Target CEO Michael Fiddelke is pressing ahead with a sweeping turnaround after taking the helm on Feb. 1, per the Minnesota Star Tribune. The retailer recently slashed prices on more than 3,000 items, Reuters reported on March 11, and is investing $2 billion in store remodels and merchandise refreshes, including a new Beauty Studio and an overhauled home-goods section, per CNBC. Washington is a natural destination for a company navigating tariff-led inflation, federal immigration scrutiny, and the fallout from rolling back DEI initiatives — all of which have drawn attention from lawmakers and regulators.

The flight to Dulles follows a pattern of frequent Washington visits; Target’s Gulfstream has landed at KIAD at least twice in the past month. With 12 consecutive quarters of weak or declining sales, per the Star Tribune, and an executive chair, Brian Cornell, who recently acknowledged “silence from leadership” had created uncertainty among workers, per The Columbian, this trip likely involves meetings with policymakers or investors as Fiddelke tries to prove his strategy can reverse the retailer’s slide.