Maggie Haberman

There's no ripped cushions, but it looks like you were getting into, I'm trying to think how to describe this, if you were getting into like what was a really nice leather interior in the 1990s.

There's no ripped cushions, but it looks like you were getting into, I'm trying to think how to describe this, if you were getting into like what was a really nice leather interior in the 1990s.

It looks like it is... Weathered. That's a great word. And the planes themselves are enormous, and they have a lot of fuel on them, so they shudder when they take off. Oh, that must feel great. It's wonderful, especially for those of us afraid of flying. And they really, like, heave to get into the air. And this has always irritated Trump, that this is...

It looks like it is... Weathered. That's a great word. And the planes themselves are enormous, and they have a lot of fuel on them, so they shudder when they take off. Oh, that must feel great. It's wonderful, especially for those of us afraid of flying. And they really, like, heave to get into the air. And this has always irritated Trump, that this is...

sort of a bit of a janky plane or two planes that need constant servicing and are old and are not, you know, sleek and streamlined. And so Trump renegotiated existing contracts that President Obama had signed, actually, when President Trump was in office the first time for two new Air Force Ones that were being commissioned by Boeing.

sort of a bit of a janky plane or two planes that need constant servicing and are old and are not, you know, sleek and streamlined. And so Trump renegotiated existing contracts that President Obama had signed, actually, when President Trump was in office the first time for two new Air Force Ones that were being commissioned by Boeing.

And Boeing, which is making them, has obviously had all kinds of struggles. And here we are now where the planes are very delayed and they are, as of now, still not likely to be ready while President Trump is in office, which is very irritating to him. He has been very frustrated that he would not get to fly on the Air Force Ones that he renegotiated the contracts for last time.

And Boeing, which is making them, has obviously had all kinds of struggles. And here we are now where the planes are very delayed and they are, as of now, still not likely to be ready while President Trump is in office, which is very irritating to him. He has been very frustrated that he would not get to fly on the Air Force Ones that he renegotiated the contracts for last time.

He wanted to fly around in these new planes. And so he has been looking at ways, including asking Elon Musk to help him get something done faster, where he could have a new Air Force One in the next year and a half, possibly even by the end of the year. And that is how this Qatari plane was turned to as an option.

He wanted to fly around in these new planes. And so he has been looking at ways, including asking Elon Musk to help him get something done faster, where he could have a new Air Force One in the next year and a half, possibly even by the end of the year. And that is how this Qatari plane was turned to as an option.

So Trump toured this plane in February when it was parked at the Palm Beach International Airport, and he clearly really liked it. This is a plane, the Qatari plane, that has very lavish interiors, so it's really not going to require a lot of work there. It would obviously need some kind of equipment upgrades, and it would need to be militarized.

So Trump toured this plane in February when it was parked at the Palm Beach International Airport, and he clearly really liked it. This is a plane, the Qatari plane, that has very lavish interiors, so it's really not going to require a lot of work there. It would obviously need some kind of equipment upgrades, and it would need to be militarized.

And there are some security concerns here about having a Qatari plane and whether there would be any kind of a bugging or spying or so forth. I know that that's a concern that a lot of officials have raised. But at the end of the day, it is a much prettier plane than the ones he's flying on right now. And that's why we're here.

And there are some security concerns here about having a Qatari plane and whether there would be any kind of a bugging or spying or so forth. I know that that's a concern that a lot of officials have raised. But at the end of the day, it is a much prettier plane than the ones he's flying on right now. And that's why we're here.

So, Air Force One has to be able to survive a nuclear blast. It has to be able to evade certain missiles that are shot at it. It has to operate as a traveling command center for a president. In wartime, don't forget, President George W. Bush was famously in the air. you know, basically as a mobile White House after 9-11.

So, Air Force One has to be able to survive a nuclear blast. It has to be able to evade certain missiles that are shot at it. It has to operate as a traveling command center for a president. In wartime, don't forget, President George W. Bush was famously in the air. you know, basically as a mobile White House after 9-11.

And that is where he was monitoring the aftermath of the attacks and he was issuing directives. So Air Force One has to be equipped to do all kinds of things. And it has to have certain secure communication systems. And the hope would be to have it done by the end of the year. Is that realistic? A lot of defense experts have told us not really. That is what they have been looking at.

And that is where he was monitoring the aftermath of the attacks and he was issuing directives. So Air Force One has to be equipped to do all kinds of things. And it has to have certain secure communication systems. And the hope would be to have it done by the end of the year. Is that realistic? A lot of defense experts have told us not really. That is what they have been looking at.

And it seems, as of now, as if they are going to move forward. We'll be right back.

And it seems, as of now, as if they are going to move forward. We'll be right back.