President Trump made an impromptu trip to Palm Beach International Airport on Saturday, where he toured a new Boeing plane and took aim at the troubled manufacturer. Boeing has been working to convert two of its 747 jets into the next generation of Air Force One, but the process has been plagued by delays. According to reports, delivery was originally planned for 2022, but is now expected to take until at least 2027.
Supply chain issues and staff shortages during the period were responsible for the delivery delays.
White House Communications Director Steven Chang said in a statement, "The project has not been able to deliver the new Air Force One on time as promised and has been delayed for five years."
As previously reported, Elon Musk, who is in charge of the Trump administration’s efficiency department, visited Boeing in December last year and met with the company’s CEO Kelly Ortberg. Ortberg said in an interview in January that Musk has since been working with Boeing.
Trump has also previously attempted to change the appearance of the presidential plane. He said in an interview in January that he wanted to change the colors of Air Force One because plans developed during his first term were shelved during the Biden administration.
Trump told reporters during the flight on Air Force One that changing the exterior color "would be much more appropriate."
"We want a deep blue, not a light blue," Trump said. "But, you know, that's fine right now. There's a time and a place for everything. We'll change the color."