
On Saturday, former President Donald Trump visited a Boeing aircraft to draw attention to the delays in the production of the new Air Force One.
The tour featured a Boeing 747 jumbo jet at Palm Beach International Airport.
Although Trump renegotiated the contract for the new Air Force One during his first term, it is now expected to be ready no earlier than 2028.
Donald Trump is increasing pressure on Boeing to expedite the delivery of the upcoming Air Force One jet.
During his tour, he explored a Boeing plane to “evaluate the new hardware and technology,” according to White House communications director Steven Cheung, who spoke to Reuters and the Associated Press.
Cheung noted, “This emphasizes the failure of the project to deliver a new Air Force One as promised and on schedule.”
The visit occurred at West Palm Beach International Airport, where Trump’s motorcade was seen next to the parked Boeing 747.
Accelerating the delivery timeline for the presidential aircraft appears to be a significant focus for Trump.
Boeing was originally contracted in 2015 to create two new presidential aircraft, referred to as the VC-25B — an enhanced, military-grade version of the 747-8.
During his first term, Trump restructured the agreement with Boeing amid concerns about rising expenses, even threatening to cancel the initiative if it surpassed $4 billion.
The former president expressed excitement about the new aircraft, previously displaying his red, white, and blue design to ABC News back in 2019.
Trump’s motorcade was spotted parked near a Boeing 747 at West Palm Beach International Airport on Saturday.ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images
Originally, the delivery was anticipated in 2024, but this has now shifted to between 2027 and 2028.
Since resuming his office role, Trump has repeatedly indicated his enthusiasm for the new Air Force One.
During his inaugural celebration, he cut a cake that featured a model of the aircraft showcasing his initial livery design.
Last month, Boeing’s CEO, Kelly Ortberg, mentioned that the company is collaborating with Elon Musk and the Office of Government Efficiency to expedite the timeline for the project.
“The president wants the aircraft delivered earlier, and we are working with Elon and the team to see how we can adjust the schedule,” Ortberg stated.
Boeing has faced over $2 billion in losses with the Air Force One project.
The Air Force has indicated that Trump’s preferred red, white, and blue design could introduce additional delays due to a thermal analysis revealing that the dark blue color may lead to increased heat in certain conditions.
Joe Biden has opted for a lighter blue option in keeping with the color scheme of presidential jets since the Kennedy administration, yet Trump still favors his original design.
The White House has not yet responded to inquiries from Business Insider regarding this matter.
For the original article, visit Business Insider.
