Boeing will contribute up to $1 million to the January 20 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. This will be the planemaker’s second donation to Trump’s inauguration, following his triumph in 2016.
Continuing the nonpartisan tradition
Boeing joins other major firms like General Motors, Ford, Microsoft, and Meta in contributing to the Trump presidential inauguration fund. Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, in Washington, DC, for his second time as head of state.
The corporation has provided similar contributions to the previous three presidential inaugurations, including Trump’s inaugural on January 20, 2017.
Boeing’s final promise came in 2021, when it donated $1 million to Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration. According to The Seattle Times, the inaugural committee accepted a maximum amount from corporations.
As part of a nonpartisan tradition, many large corporations and private individuals make significant donations to the new president. When asked about this year’s donation, a Boeing spokeswoman stated,
“We are pleased to continue Boeing’s bipartisan tradition of supporting US Presidential Inaugural Committees.”
Boeing’s donations have been similar over the years, with the company contributing $1 million to Trump’s first inaugural in 2017 and $1 million to Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013. According to Reuters, American Airlines would contribute to the inauguration but did not specify the amount.
Trump and his new Air Force One
During Trump’s first term, he constantly advocated for a redesign of Air Force One. Donald Trump may not be able to fly the new Air Force One, as the program has been postponed until 2029 or later. Trump’s second and last term begins on January 20, 2025 and ends on January 20, 2029, and the jets may not have been delivered yet.
Boeing was picked by the Air Force in 2015 to build two presidential jets to replace the existing fleet. In 2018, the Trump government agreed to pay the manufacturer $3.9 billion for two Boeing 747 aircraft.
The first new 747 was scheduled to be delivered in 2024. However, with the second plane, this has been pushed out to 2026 and 2027. Both aircraft are now scheduled to be delivered in 2029. The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump is concerned about the aircraft’s delays and has been in contact with his team.
Meanwhile, Boeing has lost more than $2 million on the deal. Boeing and the Trump administration had agreed on a fixed price of $3.9 billion, but expenses have risen to more over $5 billion. Former Boeing CEO David Calhoun described the Air Force One project as a “very unique set of risks that Boeing probably shouldn’t have taken.”
The modern Air Force is based on two heavily modified Boeing 747-200Bs with tail numbers 28000 and 29000. The Air Force designates the jumbos as VC-25A.The new Air Force One will be based on the 747-8, resulting in increased range, cruise speed, MTOW, and lower CO2 emissions.
Trump Force One
During his absence from office, Trump flew on his personal Boeing 757 known as Trump Force One. He utilized the plane to travel around the United States during his campaign and on other personal excursions. The aircraft, designated N757AF, made its first flight in 1991 and is owned by DJT Operations LLC.
It was originally owned by the now-defunct Danish low-cost carrier Sterling Airways. It was run by a number of commercial and private operators before being purchased by DJT Operations in June 2011. According to ch-aviation, there are 43 business class seats.
The Boeing 757 recently flew to Nuuk International Airport in Greenland, carrying Donald Trump Jr., Trump’s oldest son. The trip followed comments made by the US President-Elect that the US should own Greenland, an Arctic province.Nuuk International Airport opened in November 2024, allowing for international flights to the area.