President Donald Trump lauded the structural integrity of the Boeing Co.‘s (NYSE:BA) 737 MAX aircraft that was involved in Wednesday’s Flydubai incident.
Trump took to his Truth Social early Thursday and said that the aircraft managed to withstand forces “far beyond” its design. The President commended CEO Kelly Ortberg, as well as his officers and associates, for the aircraft’s resilience and praised the jet’s “precise and powerful structural planning and design” that allowed it to survive the rapid descent.
“It is about time that The Boeing Company, which builds, by far, the finest commercial airliners in the sky, was given credit for this airplane’s incredible “genius!” Trump wrote.
Cockpit Incident Sends Plane Plunging
The incident, which took place on Wednesday, involved an Israel-bound Flydubai flight that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was allegedly stabbed during an alleged cockpit altercation by the co-pilot, an Omani national. The aircraft reportedly descended 17,400 feet in under two minutes. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir slammed the suspected terror attack.
Trump said he discussed the incident with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who told him a passenger with no flying experience took control after hearing cockpit screams and helped level the plane. The Times of Israel identified the passenger as Yaniv Hayun.
Boeing Expands Deal Pipeline
Last week, Trump credited Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Commerce Department for supporting Boeing’s deals with Turkish Airlines for 150 737 MAX aircraft and with Biman Bangladesh Airlines for 11 aircraft, comprising five 787-10 Dreamliners and six 737-8 MAX jets. He said the purchases would generate tens of billions of dollars in exports and support tens of thousands of U.S. jobs.
On Tuesday, Boeing secured a U.S. Navy contract worth up to $20 billion to develop its next-generation fighter, beating Northrop Grumman Corp. (NYSE:NOC). The award covers test aircraft and weapons-integration testing and could pave the way for hundreds of billions of dollars in future contracts if development and testing succeed.
Price Action: On a year-to-date basis, Boeing stock declined 14.31%, as per Benzinga Pro. During Thursday’s pre-market session, it is trading 0.48% higher at $186.60.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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