President-elect Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday the cost of Boeing's new Air Force One jets was higher than anticipated and that he wanted the government to cancel the order.
Boeing was contracted in January and July to design parts of the new Air Force One such as its interior and electrical systems, according to USA Today. The latest figures from the Government Accountability Office put the total cost of the new planes at $3.2 billion, although that is an estimate and no contracts to assemble the planes have yet been awarded.
In a news conference held shortly after the tweet was posted, Trump told reporters, “The plane is totally out of control. It’s going to be over $4 billion for the Air Force One program and I think it’s ridiculous. ... We want Boeing to make a lot of money, but not that much money,” USA Today reported.
A spokesman for the president-elect said the tweet was intended to show that Trump will be looking to save the taxpayers money, Reuters reported.
Boeing, which saw its stock drop .5 percent after the announcement, said in a statement the current contract is worth $170 million.
“We look forward to working with the U.S. 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,” Boeing said, Reuters reported.