See US Plane in Presidential Fleet Used As Air Drive One, Marine One

An Air Drive official informed Air and House Forces Journal that the service is coordinating with the White Home and Boeing “to additional outline the necessities and acceleration choices whereas guaranteeing we offer a protected, safe, and dependable plane for the president.”

Trump has beforehand expressed his frustration with receiving the next-generation Air Drive One, suggesting earlier this 12 months that he could search “alternate options, as a result of it is taking Boeing too lengthy.”

Regardless of the backlash, the president doubled down on his proposal to make use of the Qatari jet as Air Drive One, saying he does not plan on utilizing it after his time period and would donate it to a future presidential library.

“I may very well be a silly individual and say, ‘No, we do not desire a free, very costly airplane,'” Trump informed reporters Monday.

Although free in value, there’s nonetheless a significant value to overtake and retrofit the aircraft with the strict safety necessities wanted to function Air Drive One.

“Together with the apparent moral and authorized points, a $400M gifted luxurious jet is just not Air Drive One,” US Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut wrote on X. “Retrofitting a aircraft from Qatar would create enormous prices & a safety nightmare that may impede the work underway to ship the precise AF1 by 2027.”