The Biden administration has reportedly decided to scrap former President Donald Trump’s plan to use a red, white and blue paint scheme for two new Air Force One jets after an analysis found that the design would raise the cost and delay delivery of the planes.
“The Trump paint scheme is not being considered because it could drive additional engineering, time and cost,” an unnamed administration official told Politico.
Politico’s Lara Seligman and Lee Hudson reported earlier this week that Trump’s proposed makeover, which would have painted the plane’s underbelly and engines in dark blue, “could contribute to excessive temperatures on the plane, a problem that Boeing would likely have to pay out-of-pocket to fix.”
The White House reportedly is likely to keep the plane’s Kennedy-era light blue and white design. The new planes aren’t expected to be ready until 2026, Politico says. The program has been delayed by supply chain issues, Boeing’s trouble finding workers with appropriate security clearances and a dispute between the airplane maker and a subcontractor.
Boeing was awarded a $3.9 billion contract in 2018 to deliver two new presidential 747 jets to replace the existing planes. Boeing CEO David Calhoun told Wall Street analysts earlier this year that the deal struck by his predecessor was a mistake. "Air Force One, I'm just going to call a very unique moment, a very unique negotiation. A very unique set of risks that Boeing probably shouldn't have taken," he said. "But we are where we are."
