First Lady Melania Trump laughs as she watches US President Donald Trump reduce with a saber right into a cake illustration of the brand new Air Force One design all over the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball on the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on Jan. 20, 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
The U.S. is operating with L3Harris Technologies to switch a used Qatari govt jumbo jet in what may transform a brand new presidential airplane, in step with an individual conversant in the subject.
The paintings comes after President Donald Trump previous this 12 months expressed frustration about delays in amendment paintings from Boeing. Trump struck a deal with Boeing in his first time period to retrofit two 747s to function the following Air Force One airplane. But after delays, the planes may not be able earlier than the tip of his time period.
L3Harris and Boeing declined to remark. The White House did not right away remark.
Trump advised newshounds in February that he’s bearing in mind alternatives for the not on time Boeing 747s, that have value Boeing greater than $2 billion in overruns.
“We may buy a plane or get a plane, or something,” he mentioned, in step with a Reuters record on the time, as he toured the Qatari 747 that used to be parked at Florida’s Palm Beach International Airport.
Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, mentioned on an April 23 profits name that “we continue to work with the customer to revise the program plan to allow for an earlier first delivery while maintaining our focus on safety and quality.”
One of the Boeing 747s used as Air Force One, parked at Palm Beach International Airport.
Leslie Josephs | CNBC
Ortberg mentioned in January that the corporate were running with Trump marketing consultant Elon Musk to ship the planes quicker.
Despite Trump’s frustration with Boeing’s delays in handing over the brand new Air Force One planes, the U.S. Air Force in March awarded Boeing a contract to construct the rustic’s next-generation fighter jet, a deal analysts estimate to be value round $20 billion or extra.
“In terms of all of the attributes of a fighter jet, there’s never been anything even close to it, from speed to maneuverability, to what it can have, to payload. And this has been in the works for a long period of time,” Trump mentioned in a information liberate on March 21. “America’s enemies will never see it coming.”