US President-elect Donald Trump has said that the time has come for the government to cancel its multibillion-dollar order for new Air Force One presidential planes.
The Republican leader added that he is ready to take decisions six weeks before taking charge as president.
Costs for the two Boeing 747s are “totally out of control,” Trump told reporters.
Sources said the US government has contracted with Boeing to build two or more new planes, which are scheduled to go into service around 2024. Trump is unlikely to use the new planes, which carry U.S. presidents across the world.
Trump tweeted on Tuesday saying the contract for the planes was to be about $3 billion, but costs are jumping up. The Republican leader tweeted early Tuesday, “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!”
Later, he said the costs are ridiculous: “I think Boeing is doing a little bit of a number. We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money.
The stocks of Boeing nosedived following Trump’s comments.
Reacting to Trump’s statements, Boeing spokesman Todd Blecher said, “We are going to have to get back to you after we figure out what’s going on.”
It is to be noted that Trump now uses his own plane, a Boeing 757, but after takin charge as the president he would travel aboard the Air Force jet.