During Tuesday morning’s briefing with the press, Jason Miller and Sean Spicer of the Presidential Transition Team fielded several questions that demonstrated the level of pretentiousness the liberal mainstream media will carry into the new administration.
The very first question, from Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs, was almost literally, “Is President-elect Trump seriously going to tell Boeing to cancel the contracts for the new Air Force One aircraft, and where did he even come up with his $4 billion number?” She was referencing a tweet President-elect Donald Trump made earlier in the morning in which he said:
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!
Miller addressed the question by noting the $4 billion current price tag is based on the purchase price and outfitting of the two new 747 aircraft, as well as “research and development” costs that have been rolled into the contract. He said that equates to a “big number” and Trump is looking everywhere he can to keep government costs down.
Details of any changes, if there are any, will come after the president-elect is inaugurated.
In a follow-up question, Miller was asked if Trump had consulted with the Pentagon or with Boeing before he made the tweet. Yes, they actually asked if the president-elect sought permission to discuss a government contract.
Miller again responded that $4 billion is a big price tag for two aircraft, and that the president-elect wanted to make sure there was “absolute accountability” for government contracts. He reiterated any details of changes would have to come after the inauguration.
Another reporter noted that in 2013, Trump had tweeted about purchasing shares in Boeing and demanded to know what interest he might still have with the government contractor. Miller said those stocks were sold in June.
Spicer and Miller were also grilled about Trump’s timeline for nominating a secretary of state, implying that—despite being on the fastest pace of filling a Cabinet since 1968—the president-elect was dallying. Miller noted Trump was making sure he “got this important pick right” by finding someone who could best articulate and represent the administration’s foreign policy and who would be good at “making deals.”
As to media questions about the number of potential candidates and the people who have been seen coming and going from Trump Tower in recent days, he said some of those who have met with Trump are candidates and others are people from whom the president-elect is seeking input. No timeline is set for an announcement.
Additionally, Spicer updated the press with the following information:
- Tuesday night, at an event in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Trump will formally introduce U.S. Marine Corps Gen. (ret.) James “Mad Dog” Mattis as his choice to lead the Department of Defense.
- A new poll out today indicates 60 percent of Americans—including 54 percent of independents and 40 percent of Democrats—have a more favorable view of Trump following the announced deal to keep 1,000 Carrier air conditioning jobs in the U.S.
- Among those meeting with Trump Tuesday are ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham.
- Trump will attend the Army/Navy football game on Saturday in Baltimore, spending one half on the Army side and one half on the Navy side, as is tradition for a commander-in- chief. {eoa}
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
