US President-elect Donald Trump has ripped a deal between aircraft manufacturing company Boeing and US Air Force One.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the future president said the deal has costs that are “out of control,” calling them "ridiculous" later.
“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!”
When asked later about his tweet in the lobby of Trump Tower, he reaffirmed to reporters that "Well the plane is totally out of control."
"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," he said.
Air Force One, the official air traffic control call sign for a US Air Force aircraft carrying the president, was about to spend as much as $1.65 billion for a project aimed at replacing the force’s planes but Boeing said later it was under a $170 million contract.
“We are currently under contract for $170 million to help determine the capabilities of these complex military aircraft that serves the unique requirements of the President of the United States," the Boeing statement said. "We look forward to working with the US Air Force on subsequent phases of the program allowing us to deliver the best planes for the President at the best value for the American taxpayer."
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said,” Some of the statistics that have been cited, shall we say, don't appear to reflect the nature of the financial agreement between Boeing and the Department of Defense," Earnest said, according to pool reports.”
"I think the American people would expect that future US presidents would benefit from unique and upgraded capabilities while they are traveling and representing the interests of the United States around the world."
After Trump’s Tuesday tweet, Boeing's stocks fell 1 percent in premarket.
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