CNN
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Boeing has secured a take care of Qatar for as much as 210 jets in what the White Home is asking the plane maker’s “largest-ever” widebody order, value $96 billion {dollars}.
The order comes because the Gulf state’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, dismissed controversy surrounding US President Donald Trump’s plan to simply accept a Boeing 747-8 for use, at the very least initially, as Air Power One, telling CNN’s Becky Anderson on Wednesday that it’s merely a “government-to-government transaction,” not a private reward to Trump.
The potential switch of the jet, which Trump has mentioned could be donated to his library after he leaves workplace, has been criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike, with a few of Trump’s personal supporters pointing to the looks that Qatar is affect peddling.
Trump was in Doha on Wednesday, the place financial offers totalling greater than $243 billion between america and Qatar had been introduced, together with the “historic” sale of Boeing plane and GE Aerospace engines to Qatar Airways.
In an announcement unveiling the deal, the White Home known as Trump the “dealmaker in chief,” in a nod to his want to be seen as the last word salesman and and diplomat on the world stage.
Boeing mentioned in a separate assertion that the order was for 130 of the corporate’s 787 Dreamliner jets — a widebody twin-engine — and 30 of its 777-9s, which is bigger than the 787. There are alternatives for an extra 50 Dreamliners and 777X.
“We’re deeply honored that Qatar Airways has positioned this record-breaking order with Boeing, one which solidifies their future fleet with our market-leading widebody airplane household at its heart,” Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Business Airplanes, mentioned within the assertion.
Boeing’s inventory closed half a p.c greater in New York on Wednesday. Though traders are enthused, they’re additionally conscious that order commitments aren’t last, and airways at instances have been recognized to cancel orders they’ve publicly introduced.
Nonetheless, the deal is a giant shot within the arm for Boeing, which is America’s largest exporter. Final yr, orders successfully floor to a halt after a door plug blew off of an Alaska Airways 737 Max, leaving a gaping gap within the facet of the airplane. Even with a rebound in orders towards the top of 2024, Boeing’s gross orders had been simply 569 for all of final yr, down a shocking 60% from 2023.
Additionally not serving to Boeing was a large strike within the fall. About 33,000 machinists hit the picket traces in September, and Boeing didn’t restart manufacturing till early December. That sank Boeing’s deliveries to simply 348 planes final yr, down 34% from 2023.
So Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs have served as a gut-punch to an organization already on the ropes as a result of they threaten to make jets thousands and thousands of {dollars} dearer. Boeing additionally sources components and provides from abroad.
The Trump administration seems to be in search of Boeing order commitments as a part of its negotiating technique on commerce. Final week, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick mentioned within the Oval Workplace that, as half of a bigger settlement on a commerce framework, a British airline has agreed to buy $10 billion value of Boeing jets.
Reuters later reported the airline was IAG, and it will order round 30 of Boeing’s 787 widebody jets.
Trump’s delegation additionally introduced different agreements in Qatar. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth signed protection offers, together with an announcement of intent on protection cooperation between the State of Qatar and america. He additionally signed supply and acceptance letters for MQ-9B, that are remotely piloted plane system, and FS-LIDS, that are small aerial methods designed to counter unmanned plane.
A day earlier in Saudi Arabia, the Trump delegation introduced $600 billion value of tech and protection offers. And in a while Thursday, the group will probably be transferring on to the United Arab Emirates, the final cease of the president’s first abroad tour of his second time period.
CNN’s Equipment Maher contributed reporting.
