Amidst a furious attack on the federal government’s ability to function at even basic levels, all in the name of increased efficiency and decreased costs, President Donald Trump is proving to the country that his priorities never give ground when it comes to his own comfort and wealth. At a point in time when tens of thousands of federal workers, including many in military service, are struggling to figure out how to bring a paycheck home in a new job, Donald Trump wants his new ultra-luxury airplane. The old Air Force One isn’t good enough. Trump wants the new ones, damn it – and given that they are not ready, and won’t be for a couple of years, Trump wants his best man – Elon Musk, to buy him a new… No – wait, he wants Musk to get Boeing off its ass and deliver in the new plane category. Maybe later he’ll just ask Elon to buy him one.
According to a report in The New York Times, Trump is acting a bit like a spoiled brat. To say that it is a bit off-putting as families try to figure out how to find new jobs in perhaps new locations, is putting it with the most extreme understatement:
President Trump, furious about delays in delivering two new Air Force One jets, has empowered Elon Musk to explore drastic options to prod Boeing to move faster, including relaxing security clearance standards for some who work on the presidential planes.
Nothing like a billionaire scorned to get them to prod companies that run on schedules that are at least three to five years out and take purchase orders in the billions. But look, man – when you need your private bird, you need it, you know? Indeed, Trump is now acting as a man in the market. As you read this, please keep in mind, no one has been able to pinpoint exactly what might be wrong with the old Air Force One:
His administration has even discussed whether a luxury jet could be acquired and refitted during the wait, according to five people with knowledge of the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe closely held deliberations.
Not to be a dick but is there something wrong with the luxury jet to which he already has exclusive access? Since we’re doing the whole government efficiency thing, is there anything on which we should focus when it comes to reasons this is actually a problem? Or does he just want his new plane!! From the quote above and below, the answer does seem to be that he simply wants his new plane. It is bad enough that he’s messing with perfection in changing the color scheme. He is, according to the Times, “obsessed.”
Mr. Trump also thinks the Kennedy-era robin’s egg blue and white exterior should be updated with a bolder red, white and blue design.
You do not update perfection. You honor it.
While President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had relatively little interest in Boeing’s progress and the project lagged during his administration, Boeing now has to contend with a president who is impatient, bordering on obsessive. During his four years out of power, Mr. Trump kept a model of the new Air Force One at his office at Mar-a-Lago.
President Biden had to worry about COVID and creating jobs. Maybe he was less worried about whether he had the newest presidential plane and more focused on the actual presidency. Please do not blame me for failing to articulate anything wrong with the current two VC-25s (The military type used for a 747 – there are two identical planes that serve as Air Force One). Other than needing more time for maintenance, the article fails to find anything, either.
As for what Musk is supposed to do that no one else can do? It would seem that Musk is this administration’s “Jared,” the “Minister without Portfolio” – in the vernacular of all you Anglophiles out there. Perhaps he is the only guy with whom Trump is familiar enough to name. Yes, to be sure, Elon Musk is a very talented guy. But there is no reason on Earth to think that there aren’t 50 staff sergeants in the Air Force that could have gone over to Boeing to “motivate” them and negotiated this through just as efficiently. Indeed, it is very possible that the people at Boeing might be more responsive to a modest, ever-able, military “dad” who is just sensible.
Regardless, Trump wants his damned airplane, y’all. He even sent his best mate, Elon, to get it! And it better be pretty new colors and be really loud and cool! … This is embarrassing. It is also infuriating, given what the two of them are putting American families through right now, all in the name of saving money.
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please oh please let this new plane crash with no survivors 🙏
The answer is right there in the article: have skunk Musk buy him one. That way he can keep it after he leaves office. Neither of those dipshits understand that the timeframe needed to build a presidential plane is probably a ten year endeavor. Reagan commissioned a new AF-1, and he never got to ride in it.
Is there no low to which this asshat will stoop? It’s just amazing to me that tRump and Musk have never heard of the word “optics.” Or “hypocrisy.” Or “common sense,” for that matter. I’d love to see Boeing’s security detail escort Skunk Musk right out their YUGE hanger doors. (I like that name better than Muskrat Has a more suitable smell to it.)
Maybe they could make a new plane faster for him by doing without the many security and safety considerations. After all DonOld Krasnov is so wildly popular as President no-one would dream of attacking it.