The will-they won’t-they deal between Trump and Boeing has been ironed out.
Boeing (BA) finally secured the $3.9 billion deal to build two new planes to be used as Air Force One by the U.S. President. The planes, which are expected to be delivered by December 2024, will be painted red, white and blue.
The contract follows an informal deal reached between Trump and the manufacturer back in February and little has changed in the months since. Nevertheless, that agreement followed initial objections by the president for the high price tag associated with the new planes, which Trump called “out of control,” and suggested that the administration should “cancel order!” Despite the cost of the deal remaining the same, Trump told CBS on Tuesday that “Boeing gave us a great deal.”
Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2016
The planes will not be purpose-built for use by the president. Instead, Boeing is converting planes that had previously been ordered by a now bankrupt Russian airline. Using existing planes and converting them to meet the needs and requirement of the president will reportedly be cheaper than building new ones.
The biggest difference between these new planes and the old fleet may be their paint job. Trump told CBS that he wondered “if we should use the same baby blue colors,” deciding ultimately not to.
“Air Force One is going to be incredible,” he added. “It’s going to be the top of the line, the top in the world. And it’s going to be red, white, and blue, which I think is appropriate.”