US President Donald Trump is growing impatient with Boeing over delays in delivering two new Air Force One jets and has enlisted Elon Musk to find ways to speed up the process New York Times reports.
The president is frustrated that he is still flying in old planes from past administrations and is considering drastic steps—including easing security clearance rules for workers on the project.
Boeing delays
Trump has long viewed Air Force One as a symbol of presidential power and prestige. The two current aircraft, modified Boeing 747s, are over 30 years old and require constant servicing. Boeing was originally meant to deliver the new jets in 2024, but the project is now running at least three years behind schedule. The Air Force has already paid Boeing $3.5 billion of the $4.3 billion contract, yet the company has suffered $2.4 billion in losses on the project.
Trump has made it clear he is running out of patience. Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity on Tuesday night, he criticised Boeing, saying, “I mean, they are actually in default, Boeing. They’ve been building this thing forever. I don’t know what’s going on.”
Musk doubles down
Elon Musk, whom Trump has tapped to cut government waste, has been central to discussions about expediting the jets. The billionaire has been consulting with the military, the White House, and Boeing to explore possible solutions.
One of Musk’s key suggestions is lowering the security clearance standards for certain Boeing employees. Currently, nearly all workers on the project must hold a top-level Yankee White clearance, a requirement for personnel who interact with the president or vice president. Reducing this requirement for those not working on the aircraft’s most sensitive systems could speed up production, but some defence officials warn it could pose national security risks.
The tech billionaire has also questioned the amount of time allocated for flight testing, arguing that unnecessary design features are slowing down production. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has set an ambitious goal of delivering at least one of the new Air Force One jets within a year, though Pentagon officials consider this timeline unrealistic.
Boeing’s troubles
Boeing’s problems go beyond the Air Force One project. The company has faced years of losses, safety issues, and delays. Trump often complains about its decline, asking why it “seems incapable of building things anymore.”
Some of the current Air Force One delays can be traced back to Trump’s first term. In 2018, his administration signed a fixed-price contract with Boeing, limiting flexibility in making changes. Boeing also used two aircraft originally built for a now-defunct Russian buyer, rather than designing custom planes from scratch, which has led to extensive rewiring and reconfigurations.
Trump remains adamant about his preferred red, white, and blue colour scheme for the new jets, despite engineers warning that the dark blue paint could cause thermal issues.
Other options
Trump has even considered alternative measures like acquiring and retrofitting a luxury jet while waiting for the official replacements. On Saturday, photographers spotted him inspecting a late-model 747-8 at Palm Beach International Airport. The plane was previously owned by the Qatari royal family, according to registration data.
Senior administration officials have floated the idea of modifying such a jet into a temporary Air Force One. However, military experts argue this would still take years to make the aircraft mission-ready. Air Force One is not just a means of transport—it is an airborne command centre capable of operating during national emergencies, including nuclear threats.
Tensions with Boeing CEO
Since his re-election, Trump and Musk have held multiple calls with Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, pressing for faster delivery. Ortberg recently told CNBC, “The president wants the airplane sooner, and so we’re working with Elon and the team to figure what can we do to pull up the schedule of that aircraft.”
Meanwhile, Trump continues to push for speed. He reportedly told aides that if Musk can launch rockets into space, he can figure out how to get a plane built faster.