Trump to use gifted Qatari jet for Ireland trip next week/Image: Reuters
The US government has already spent about $400 million modifying the aircraft. The Government Accountability Office has estimated that the replacement programme will cost more than $5.6 billion.
A senior administration official told The Post that the government maintains security measures to ensure the safety and reliability of the presidential aircraft, while declining to discuss specific upgrades or modifications. The White House has also not disclosed the expected cost. The figure has prompted lawmakers to question the cost and security of the government-owned aircraft compared with the Qatari jet.
President Donald Trump is set to use the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar for his trip to Ireland next week, a senior White House official told The Washington Post. The decision comes as Trump prepares for increased travel ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. He is expected to visit Texas next week for a Republican event and has said he plans to travel to Alaska and other states with competitive races, the newspaper reported. The Post later reported that he was moved from the older presidential aircraft to an Air Force C-32A, which flew him to Britain.
Trump said in July that the aircraft would be sent for additional work and “maxed out”. The administration has not said when the upgrades will begin or how long they will take. Trump initially said he had left Turkey aboard the former Air Force One.