During his first term, President Donald Trump ordered significant upgrades to Air Force One. But delays in construction mean that the new jets may not be ready until whoever is elected 48th president of the United States enters the White House.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that Trump has been haranguing Boeing — the aerospace company that won the $4.3 billion contract — about the delays, and he has since tasked Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk with expediting completion of the two new 747 jets completed before his second term ends. Trump brought up the delayed Air Force One upgrades during a recent interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity (alongside Musk).
“They’ve been building this thing forever," Trump said. "I don’t know what’s going on.”
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According to the Times, the two current presidential jets have been in operation for more than three decades and frequently need servicing. Last weekend, Trump toured a jet previously owned by the Qatari royal family, and has floated the idea of retrofitting it to be an interim replacement for Air Force One. He has also reportedly considered relaxing security clearance restrictions for the plane's builders in order to speed up construction.
Boeing has reportedly already recorded losses in excess of $2 billion on the Air Force One contract, and is now three years behind schedule. The jets were initially ordered in 2018, but following the delays the new jets may not be ready until 2029, when the next president is sworn in.
“It is ridiculous the delivery of a new Air Force One airplane has been delayed for such a long time," White House communications director Steven Cheung said. "President Trump is working on identifying ways to speed up the delivery of a new plane, which has been needed for a while.”
The new upgrades reportedly include boardrooms, meeting rooms, military avionics and self-defense systems. Some of the construction delays may be due to a seven-week strike by Boeing workers last year after wage negotiations hit a standstill. Machinists agreed to come back to work after securing a new contract guaranteeing a 38% wage increase staggered over the next four years.
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