Trump’s Bid to Rebrand Air Force One Comes Back to Bite Him
President-elect Donald Trump probably won’t even get to fly on his improved Air Force One planes, and might have to reluctantly leave them to his successor, according to reports.
In his first term Trump ordered two 747-8 jumbo jets to be heavily updated and they were slated for delivery in 2026 and 2027. However, the $3.9 billion deal with Boeing is reportedly so delayed that the models will be ready only after the 78-year-old leaves the White House.
The MAGA chief reportedly made the deal his pet project. He even declared that the famed plane’s colors would be scrapped and changed to reflect the red, white and dark blue of his own private Boeing 757.
The Air Force even admitted that Trump’s paint job, specifically a darker blue on the underside of the aircraft, could contribute to excessive temperatures on the plane.
Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek confirmed the heat problem in 2022, saying: “Further analysis concluded darker colors, among other factors, on the underside of the VC-25B aircraft might contribute to temperatures exceeding the current qualification limits of a small number of components.”
Light blue and white has been a constant since President John F Kennedy’s administration. According to the Wall Street Journal it now looks like the jets might not even be ready until 2029, maybe even later.
“We take pride in this work. Our focus is on delivering two exceptional Air Force One airplanes for the country,” Boeing said in a statement, but Trump is reportedly so annoyed that he demanded answers from company CEO Kelly Ortberg last month over the phone.
He has also reportedly badgered his own staff for updates, but the company are tight-lipped on deadlines.
The jets are in the throes of being fitted out with meeting rooms and bedrooms, as well as military avionics and self-defence systems—effectively making them an “extension of the Oval Office,” according to The Telegraph.
An Air Force representative said the schedule for the project is expected to be updated this spring.
It comes after the Seattle-based aviation manufacturer announced in October that it would lay off 17,000 employees—10 percent of its workforce—amid a strike, production delays, and safety concerns with its aircraft.
In January the Federal Aviation Administration immediately grounded 171 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory and halted production expansion of the Boeing 737 MAX. The FAA found multiple instances where the companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.
Boeing has reportedly lost $25 billion since 2019.
