Boeing says it is donating $1m to Trump presidential inaugural fund

WASHINGTON: Boeing is donating $1 million to US President-elect Donald Trump presidential inauguration, a spokesperson for the US planemaker said on Thursday.

The planemaker is joining many major US companies including General Motors, Ford, Microsoft and Meta in donating for the January 20 event.

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Boeing previously donated $1 million to the last three presidential inaugurations, including Trump’s first in 2017.

American Airlines separately confirmed on Thursday it is also donating $1 million.

In 2016, Trump extracted a promise from Boeing that the cost of replacing Air Force One would not exceed $4 billion, and the company has since lost more than $2 billion on the significantly delayed programme to deliver two new presidential aircraft.

Boeing also faces continuing tougher oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration, a year after a door panel missing four key bolts flew off a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in mid-air.

Read more: Boeing whistleblower found dead of apparent suicide

Trump’s nominee to head the Transportation Department, Sean Duffy, told Reuters last month he wanted to make sure “we have safe planes coming out of Boeing.”

The FAA announced a new audit of Boeing in October. The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Duffy on Wednesday.