US President Donald Trump has expressed frustration over the long wait for new Air Force One aircraft from Boeing, which are years behind schedule. The $4 billion contract was negotiated during his first term, and cost overruns have totaled more than $2 billion to date.
Boeing’s CEO Kelly Ortberg is working with Trump’s advisor Elon Musk to accelerate production and deliver the aircraft faster. Ortberg stated that Trump is “not happy” with the delivery timing and has expressed this to him directly. However, Ortberg also praised Musk as a helpful ally in identifying non-essential constraints that can be removed to speed up production.
Despite Trump’s frustration, some airlines are becoming more optimistic about Boeing’s turnaround. United Airlines CFO Mike Leskinen said that his confidence in receiving delivered MAX aircraft on schedule has never been higher. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan expressed similar sentiments, stating that they see signs of improvement and are feeling more optimistic about Boeing’s future.
Boeing’s production capacity is expected to increase to 38 units per month for its best-selling 737 Max planes, which are not affected by the Air Force One delays. The company appears to be on a path to recovery under new leadership, with CEO Ortberg stating that they do not foresee supply chain problems that would prevent this.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/20/trump-boeing-air-force-one-delays.html