Former President Donald Trump is determined to change Air Force One's color scheme.
According to Daily Mail, he plans to adopt a dark blue and red design, similar to his private plane, but this proposal faces significant technical and financial challenges.
Trump's vision for Air Force One involves replacing Jackie Kennedy's iconic light blue and white scheme with a more patriotic palette. A former White House official confirmed that Trump would "absolutely" make this change, reflecting the color scheme of his personal Boeing 757, dubbed Trump Force One.
The government contracted Boeing for two new 747-8s during Trump's administration, with Trump claiming he negotiated a deal that saved taxpayers money.
Trump proudly displayed a model of the new Air Force One design in the Oval Office and later at his Mar-a-Lago home. However, when Joe Biden became president, he reversed Trump's plans, opting to maintain the classic light blue and white colors.
Despite this, Boeing is still working on the new aircraft, which are now delayed until 2026 and 2027, providing an opportunity for Trump to revert the colors if he wins the presidency.
Trump's proposed design includes dark blue paint on the plane's underside and engine area, which engineers warn could cause excessive temperatures. These modifications would necessitate additional cooling measures for the plane's components, costs that Boeing would have to cover out-of-pocket. The Biden administration cited these technical issues as the reason for reverting to the original color scheme.
The new Air Force One is designed to be a flying White House, equipped with advanced communication gear and self-service capabilities. The planes feature in-flight refueling systems, allowing them to stay airborne indefinitely. Jackie Kennedy, the first lady at the time, worked with an industrial designer to create the classic light blue and white look that has been used by the last 11 presidents.
Trump's design, intended to represent America's strength with red, white, and blue, was a point of pride during his administration. He often showcased the model to visitors in the Oval Office and at Mar-a-Lago. The aircraft contract with Boeing was initially set at a fixed price of $3.9 billion, but the program is now over $2 billion over budget due to pandemic-related supply-chain issues and contractor problems.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun expressed regret in 2022 over accepting Trump's terms for building the planes. The delays and cost overruns have further complicated the project.
Despite these challenges, the new Air Force One planes will include special features such as their own retractable stairways and a surgery suite.
Biden's decision to revert to the classic color scheme was partly to avoid the technical issues associated with Trump's design. However, the delay in the planes' delivery means that if Trump wins the presidency again, he could still implement his preferred colors. This ongoing debate highlights the complexities and costs involved in modifying such an iconic aircraft.
Trump's ambition to change Air Force One's color scheme to dark blue and red faces significant technical and financial obstacles. While Biden has reverted to the classic light blue and white design, the ongoing delays in the aircraft's completion allow for potential future changes. Boeing's financial challenges and the technical issues associated with Trump's design have added layers of complexity to the project. The iconic aircraft, designed to be a flying White House, continues to evolve amidst these debates. Whether the future holds a new color scheme remains uncertain as the project progresses towards its planned 2026 and 2027 completion.
