ABU DHABI — President Trump groaned about coming back from a lavish journey to the Center East Friday aboard an ageing Air Pressure One — earlier than proclaiming “new ones are coming” amid bipartisan outcry over his plans to simply accept a gifted luxurious jet from Qatar to make use of as a substitute.
“I leave now and get onto a 42-year-old Boeing. But new ones are coming. New ones are coming,” Trump mentioned throughout an occasion within the capital metropolis of the United Arab Emirates.
Trump served as America’s chief salesman on the three-nation tour — together with delivering windfalls for Boeing, with Qatar Airways and the UAE’s Etihad Airways agreeing to spend greater than $110 billion on 238 American-made passenger jets.
“Boeing makes the best plane, and they’ve had some headaches over the past years,” Trump mentioned throughout a enterprise presentation on the ultimate day of his journey.
It’s unclear if Trump’s declaration that new variations of Air Pressure One are coming indicators he modified his thoughts about accepting the $400 million Qatari “palace on wings,” which Trump beforehand mentioned “only a fool” would refuse.
Congressional Republicans together with Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-SD) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have criticized the president’s plan, as have influential conservatives together with pundit Mark Levin and former George W. Bush White Home press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Trump, who mentioned Monday he was “disappointed” that Boeing can be unable to ship new variations of Air Pressure One earlier than 2027, praised the corporate throughout his journey — and sat subsequent to Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg throughout an occasion in Qatar in Thursday.
The president touted the plane-maker’s position in creating the brand new F-47 fighter jet, named partially within the forty seventh president’s honor, and mentioned he desires to award a brand new contract for them to construct a beforehand undisclosed F-55 fighter jet as effectively.
