In a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, the Trump administration’s nominee for deputy secretary of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) expressed that the government “needs to be tougher” on Boeing due to production delays affecting both government and civilian aircraft. The nominee, Steven Bradbury, faced intense questioning regarding his role as USDOT’s general counsel during the aftermath of two Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Bradbury explained he was inundated with requests for information at the time and asserted that he did not obstruct investigations into the crashes. These incidents resulted in over 300 fatalities and have contributed to widespread criticism of Boeing.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy previously informed Congress that Boeing required some “tough love” and confirmed maintaining a production cap implemented by former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Mike Whitaker after an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 incident. Duffy plans to visit Seattle with acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau in March to assess Boeing’s safety measures.
Boeing has been under scrutiny following multiple issues with its 737 MAX series and other aircraft like the Boeing 787. This scrutiny includes continuous delays in delivering new Air Force One planes. Ordered in 2018 for $3.9 billion, these modified Boeing 747-8i aircraft were initially set for delivery in 2024 but have since been delayed to potentially beyond President Trump’s term.
President Trump voiced dissatisfaction with Boeing over these delays, stating there is “no excuse” for such extended timelines given the importance of preparing a presidential aircraft with advanced features. Despite ongoing conversions at Boeing, Trump mentioned considering purchasing or acquiring used aircraft from another country due to the prolonged process.
In response to ongoing challenges, including reputation and financial concerns, Boeing replaced its CEO Dennis Mullenberg with Kelly Ortberg in 2024. Ortberg aims to enhance work culture within the company amid criticism from unions and former employees.
