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Trump Shades Boeing, Directs L3Harris to Build Interim Air Force One

Per The Wall Street Journal, the president is frustrated with delays to the aerospace giant’s new design, which has suffered multiple setbacks.

President Donald Trump Boeing 747 Air Force One
President Donald Trump is reportedly frustrated with Boeing’s delayed delivery of two new presidential jets. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force/Essence Myricks]
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Key Takeaways:

  • President Trump is taking direct action due to significant delays and budget overruns in Boeing's delivery of new Air Force One aircraft.
  • An interim solution involves L3Harris retrofitting a former Qatari Boeing 747 to serve as a temporary presidential jet, with Trump hoping to use it by fall and Elon Musk involved in discussions to accelerate the overall program.
  • The Air Force One project's struggles are emblematic of broader challenges for Boeing, including ongoing production slowdowns, consistent annual financial losses, and complications from U.S. tariffs.
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President Donald Trump is taking matters into his own hands as government contractor Boeing faces snags in its delivery of two new Air Force One aircraft.

Per The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. government has commissioned L3Harris to retrofit a Boeing 747—previously flown by the government of Qatar—as an interim presidential jet. The move comes as Trump grows increasingly frustrated with delays to Boeing’s work, which is years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget, sources told the Journal. As things stand, the aircraft are not expected to be delivered until after Trump leaves office.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.

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