Trump gets new Cadillac ride ahead of Air Force One plane on the way
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In Davos, US President Donald Trump used vehicles that appeared to be modified Cadillac Escalades.
PHOTO: EPA
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump is getting new transportation – both on the ground and in the sky. This week in Davos, Switzerland, the US Secret Service began transporting Mr Trump in newly delivered Cadillac sport utility vehicles (SUVs), the agency confirmed in a social media post.
The vehicles appear to be modified Cadillac Escalades, though the agency did not confirm the model.
“We were excited to build upon our long-lasting relationship with General Motors (GM) as we introduced these vehicles to our protective fleet,” Secret Service director Sean Curran said in a statement.
In March, following a meeting between Mr Trump and GM chief executive Mary Barra, Mr Curran travelled to the company’s facility in Warren, Michigan, to discuss next-generation armoured SUVs. Mr Trump raised the idea of acquiring Cadillac SUVs in the discussion with Ms Barra.
GM and the Secret Service on Jan 22 did not answer questions about the new SUVs.
The President traditionally travels in an armoured Chevrolet Suburban when not using the presidential limousine.
In September 2024, the Homeland Security Department and Secret Service awarded GM a US$14.8 million (S$18.9 million) contract to develop the next-generation presidential limousine, nicknamed “The Beast”, which could be worth up to US$40.8 million through 2029.
The contract was later modified to exercise an option covering US$13.5 million in funding.
The Secret Service in March posted a photo from the visit that included a Cadillac Escalade SUV outfitted with the presidential flag next to a large picture of the presidential seal. The vehicle appears similar to the one Mr Trump travelled in this week.
The US Air Force separately said on Jan 22 that Mr Trump is on track to get a new aircraft by summer, after he was downgraded on the evening of Jan 22 from a Boeing 747 to a smaller 757 for his Davos trip due to a “minor electrical issue”
In May, Mr Trump accepted a luxury Boeing 747 jetliner from the government of Qatar to temporarily serve as the new Air Force One
The 13-year-old former Qatari jet, which has a luxurious interior, is being retrofitted at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Air Force said it anticipates delivery “no later than summer 2026” and added that it is “closely coordinating with the appropriate government entities to ensure the appropriate security measures and functional mission requirements are met”.
In December, the Air Force said the delivery of the first of two new Air Force One jets from Boeing had been delayed by another year to mid-2028, the latest in a series of setbacks. REUTERS
