The decision was made after a study showed problems with the proposal, said a source familiar with the situation.
The former president proposed changing Air Force One for the first time since President John F. Kennedy was in the White House. Trump wanted to replace the blue stripe in Air Force One with a red, white and dark blue palette.
Dark blue posed a challenge to the advanced electronic system of military aircraft that ensures that the President can maintain secure communication with officials on the ground.
“This paint design was one of many possible colors proposed,” an Air Force spokesman told CNN earlier this month. “Further analysis concluded that darker colors, among other factors, on the underside of the VC-25B may contribute to temperatures exceeding the current certification limits of a small number of components.”
The Government Accountability Office said in a recent report that the planes are undergoing a comprehensive series of tests as part of a multi-year upgrade process of two standard 747s.
The decision to scrap paint ordered by Trump for two new Air Force One aircraft currently being built by Boeing comes amid a list of other costly construction delays that have exceeded the aircraft budget.
Boeing had previously revealed that it had trouble finding enough workers with sufficient security clearance to work on high-tech military aircraft, especially when the Covid-19 cases caused staff shortages.
The aircraft maker also had a dispute with a subcontractor working inside the new jets. This contractor was replaced, further delaying progress. In a call to analysts in April, Boeing CEO David Calhoun said the $ 3.9 billion Boeing contract to build the planes was wrong for the company, given the damage. He said the 2018 deal with the Air Force included “a very unique set of risks that Boeing probably should not have taken.”
Trump was particularly practical about the Air Force One deal, meeting with Boeing executives at the White House to seal the deal. He also shared drawings and a miniature model of the proposed jet with the Press from the Oval Office.
Boeing made the deal for the aircraft in 2018, after Trump publicly criticized the cost of the program, writing “Order canceled!” and in the midst of Trump’s harsh rhetoric about China that risked consequences for Boeing and other U.S. exporters.
Additional delays could delay deliveries of new jets until 2026, according to Boeing and the GAO report. This is beyond the scheduled withdrawal date of the two 1990 Boeing aircraft now in use as Air Force One, which were set to be replaced by 2025.
This story has been updated with additional references.
