Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators that Hegseth has ordered the service to start planning how to update it to meet needed standards and acknowledged that the plane will require “significant” modifications.
The Air Force, in a statement, said it is preparing to award a contract to modify a Boeing 747 aircraft, but that any details are classified.
Trump was asked about the move Wednesday while he was meeting in the Oval Office with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. “They are giving the United States Air Force a jet,” Trump said, bristling at being questioned about the gift by a reporter.
Trump said it was given “not to me, to the United States Air Force, so they could help us out” and noted that “Boeing’s a little bit late, unfortunately.”
Ramaphosa, who was sitting next to Trump in the Oval Office and has been working to repair his relationship with the president, said, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you.”
