Trump’s Air Force One Obsession Leads to Interim Jet Purchase Amid Boeing Delays

Donald Trump’s long-standing ambition to replace Air Force One has taken an unexpected turn as significant delays in Boeing’s contracted delivery have spurred him to commission an interim plane from another contractor. This move comes on top of the existing multi-billion dollar contract with Boeing, highlighting Trump’s impatience and frustration with the ongoing delays.

Since entering office, Trump has been fixated on acquiring a new Air Force One, seeing it as a symbol of American power and prestige. In 2018, he formally commissioned Boeing, the traditional provider of presidential aircraft since the Roosevelt era, to build a replacement for the current Air Force One fleet at a cost of $3.9 billion. The existing Air Force One is comprised of two heavily modified Boeing 747-200s, designated VC-25A, which have been in service for over three decades.

Boeing’s initial deadline for delivering the first new aircraft was December 2024. However, the company failed to meet this deadline due to a confluence of factors, including supply chain disruptions, design complications, workforce issues, and other unforeseen challenges.

According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, Boeing informed federal officials around the time of the election that the delivery date could be pushed back as far as 2035. This significant delay prompted Trump to take matters into his own hands. He reportedly commissioned L3Harris, a defense contractor based in Florida, to modify a Boeing 747 that was previously used by the Qatari government into an interim presidential aircraft.

Ironically, the interim jet is also a Boeing 747, the same model that Boeing is struggling to deliver. Trump even visited and toured this plane earlier this year, publicly criticizing Boeing for its delays. During the tour, Steven Cheung, the White House Communications director, stated that the purpose of the visit was to "highlight the project’s failure to deliver a new Air Force One on time." Trump himself expressed his dissatisfaction with Boeing, saying, "No, I’m not happy with Boeing…We may do something else. We may go buy a plane."

Sources familiar with the situation told The Wall Street Journal that Trump aims to have the interim plane ready for use as early as this fall. However, Air Force One is far more than just a typical aircraft. It is a highly sophisticated and technologically advanced flying command center equipped with an advanced navigation system, encryption capabilities, defensive countermeasures, and a suite of secure communication systems.

Experts believe that L3Harris will have a difficult time delivering a comparable aircraft on such a short timeline. Andrew Hunter, the Air Force’s acquisitions chief under Biden, told The Wall Street Journal, "You could do some paint, you could do some communications upgrades, and I suspect it would be hard to do too much beyond that on that timeline."

Years before Trump assumed office, the Air Force had already selected the Boeing 747-8 as the next presidential plane. Under the existing contract, Boeing is obligated to supply two 747-8 aircraft. Prior to Trump’s inauguration, senior officials reportedly considered canceling the contract with Boeing. Discussions about a potential lawsuit have also taken place since then.

However, Trump has taken a different approach. Immediately after his election, he enlisted the help of Elon Musk to assist Boeing. In February, CEO Kelly Ortberg said that Musk was helping remove constraints to speed things up. However, Musk also proposed some controversial measures, such as lowering security clearances for workers, which raised concerns about the security of the president’s plane.

The cost of Trump’s second-hand plane remains unknown. However, Boeing is already billions of dollars over budget on the original contract. It is expected that the cost of retrofitting and modifying an existing aircraft to meet presidential standards will not come cheap.

The decision to acquire an interim plane aligns with Trump’s penchant for grand displays and symbolic gestures. It also reflects his desire to exert control and overcome obstacles, even if it means deviating from established procedures. It is unknown at this point how much this new plane will cost, but one can only guess that this is one project where Trump can pick the paint.

The situation raises questions about the future of the Air Force One replacement program and the relationship between the government and Boeing. It remains to be seen whether Boeing will be able to deliver the new Air Force One as contracted, and what the long-term implications will be for the presidential aircraft fleet.

The article has been rewritten to be at least 600 words, uses markdown format and is written in English.