Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked an attempt by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to halt taxpayer funding for the retrofitting of Donald Trump's new Air Force One. Schumer's proposal, the Presidential Airlift Security Act, aimed to prevent Department of Defense funds from being used for the modification of aircraft previously owned by foreign governments.
Schumer argued that the estimated $1 billion cost to upgrade the Boeing 747-8, which was gifted to Trump by Qatar, was an unnecessary expense for American taxpayers already facing economic pressures. "The luxury jet may have come wrapped in a bow for Donald Trump, but it came with a massive price tag for the American people," Schumer stated on the Senate floor. He added that the administration is asking taxpayers to fund the luxury plane "so it can meet the security standards of the existing Air Force One fleet."
The White House confirmed that the new Air Force One was slated for additional security upgrades in the fall, which would require the aircraft to be grounded for approximately one month. During this period, the president would use the older Air Force One.
Republicans, led by Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, contended that Schumer's legislation was too broad and could inadvertently harm critical national security programs. Fischer argued that the bill would also apply to the Survivable Air Operations Center (SAOC) aircraft, which were purchased from Korean Air. The SAOC is essential for maintaining presidential safety and commanding nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear war.
"This is the plane that will command and control our nuclear weapons on America's worst day. We cannot play these political games with the NC3," Fischer said, referring to the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications system.
The debate over the new Air Force One comes after Trump opted not to use the Qatari-gifted jet for his return flight from Turkey, citing security concerns and the lack of necessary enhancements, such as countermeasures for heat-seeking missiles. Trump indicated that the plane was expected to undergo further modifications to its capabilities in the coming month. The aircraft has a base value of $400 million.