President Donald Trump has a lot on his plate! Owing to the constant scrutiny he faces from people as the head of the state who’s responsible for almost everything that happens in the country, it’s normal for him to also run out of patience, just like he did with Boeing, which was supposed to deliver two new Air Force One planes by the end of his predecessor’s term.
However, Elon Musk has come forward to help Trump fast-track the process. As per the New York Times, Elon Musk has got the green light from Trump to negotiate the delivery of the planes as soon as possible. Musk has questioned the time needed for flight testing and is considering lowering security clearance requirements for those working on the jets.
Reportedly, these are planes that come with high-security features, and former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall warned that while some risks can be taken, cutting too many safety measures like the “Yankee White” could be dangerous. Meanwhile, this project was initially sanctioned by Donald Trump back in 2018 with a $3.9 billion contract, and the project was wanted to be completed by 2024.
As per the outlet THE BYTE, Frank Kendall told the New York Times, “The [safety] requirements could be scrubbed down and more risk can be assumed,” said the Biden-era Air Force secretary. “But you can also go too far. You do need to have the basic command and control capabilities and communications capabilities on the airplane.”
These expensive aircraft will be used to transport the president and used during emergencies such as attacks where the president can manage military and government operations. Furthermore, the goal of these aircraft is to offer updated technology, better efficiency, and improved security.
Owing to the massive three-year delay, Musk has planned to get one aircraft wrapped up by this year by hiring more workers for the job, removing many military features, and making it more like a commercial aircraft with minimal upgrades. This approach, however, could compromise safety, putting Trump at risk while flying.
ดูโพสต์นี้บน Instagram
In addition, Elon Musk has a history of making big promises, like claiming Tesla would achieve full self-driving, which hasn’t happened yet. However, this time, he is working within someone else’s deadline—Trump’s.
Moreover, the company that was given the project faced criticism and investigations over safety issues, including deadly crashes and problems with its Starliner spacecraft. However, Elon Musk’s ambitious vision remains adamant about making this a priority. As of 2025, Elon Musk plays a significant role in Trump’s administration and is also the volunteer head of DOGE, which is a new position in a new department created by Trump.’
View this post on Instagram
While some people are happy about Elon Musk working together with Trump for the betterment of the country, others have criticized him and said that he has been given too much power in too little time. Elon Musk and Trump both appeared in a joint interview with Sean Hannity that aired Tuesday night on Fox News, where they spoke about topics like inflation, budget cuts, plans for the country, and much more.
