Donald Trump would “absolutely” change the colors of Air Force One to his preferred scheme of dark blue and red, according to a new report Tuesday, even if it would have a dangerous side effect on the presidential plane.
A former White House official said Political that ‘absolutely, 100 percent’ Trump would change the plane’s light blue and white design to one that mimics his private jet Trump Force One.
Trump has made a lot of noise about his plan to change the colors of the iconic presidential plane to ones he prefers.
During his administration, the government contracted with Boeing to buy two new 747-8s to replace the existing presidential plane. Then-President Trump boasted of his negotiating skills with the company, saying that he believed they had saved taxpayers money.
And he was so proud of his plan that he kept a model of the new Air Force One, painted deep blue, deep red and pure white, on the coffee table in the Oval Office, where it appeared in numerous photographs during his administration.
He later took it with him when he left the White House and displayed it at his Palm Beach home, Mar-a-Lago.
Then-President Trump with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, seen with Trump’s design for Air Force One, in the Oval Office in June 2019
But when Joe Biden became president, he reversed Trump’s plans for the plane and returned it to its classic light blue and white scheme, colors originally chosen by Jackie Kennedy.
Boeing, however, is still working on the two new planes, scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 2027, years behind schedule and way over budget.
But the delay means there is time for Trump, if he wins the White House in November, to change the plane’s colors back to his preferred ones.
Trump’s original plan for the two planes called for the underside of the plane and the engine area to be painted dark blue.
But that would contribute to excessive temperatures on the plane, which would require some modifications to cool some of its components.
And Boeing would have to pay out of pocket to make the repairs.
The Biden administration said it changed the colors back to the original to avoid the problem.
The former official said he hopes Trump will change the colors again because of how proud the former president was of the design change.
“The model was on the coffee table in the Oval Office and he pointed it out many times to foreign and domestic visitors,” the person said. Political‘He thought it represented America more and represented strength, the red, white and blue.’
The model of Donald Trump’s proposed Air Force One color scheme revision that once sat in the Oval Office is displayed on a coffee table in the lobby of Mar-A-Lago.
Trump unveiled his redesign in 2019.
The new color scheme resembled that of Trump’s personal Boeing 757, which was dubbed “Trump Force One.”
Air Force One is essentially a flying White House.
It contains classified communications equipment that allows the president to be in constant communication with the outside world and features special features such as a surgical suite.
Unlike a regular 747, the plane has its own retractable stairs for both rear and forward entry, and its own baggage handler, so it can be fully autonomous if necessary.
It also features an in-flight refueling system that gives it the ability to stay airborne indefinitely.
President Joe Biden changed Trump’s color scheme to the classic blue and white.
Jackie Kennedy, the first lady at the time, worked with an industrial designer on the look and style of the planes that the last 11 presidents flew on.
Trump’s personal Boeing 757, nicknamed ‘Trump Force One,’ has a color scheme similar to the one he wants for the new Air Force One.
The plane had not been modernized in years, which led to the contract with Boeing.
Trump’s deal involved a fixed price of $3.9 billion, leaving Boeing to bear any design changes or cost increases.
The program is now more than $2 billion over its budget.
Boeing blamed the COVID pandemic and supply chain issues for the delays, along with problems with contractors.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the company should have rejected Trump’s terms for building the planes in 2022.