Costs are 'out of control' for F-35 fighter jets made in Fort Worth, Trump says
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump took aim Monday morning at the F-35 program, a fleet of fighter jets produced by Lockheed Martin that sustains thousands of jobs in the Fort Worth area.
“The F-35 program and cost is out of control,” Trump tweeted. “Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th.”
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realdonaldtrump
The F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th.
7:26 AM - 12 Dec 2016
10,293 10,293 Retweets 34,575 34,575 likes
The F-35 program has 78 supplier locations in Texas, according to Lockheed, providing 38,900 direct and indirect jobs and an overall economic impact of $3.4 billion on the state. That’s more jobs than any other state, and only California sees a greater economic impact at $10.5 billion.
Despite the program receiving some criticism over the years, members of Congress have been hesitant to make significant cuts, in part because of the economic boon it provides to their states. The stealth fighter jets are responsible for more than 146,000 American jobs, working with more than 1,250 suppliers in 45 states.
Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2016/12/12/trump-complains-costs-control-f-35-fighter-jets-assembled-fort-worth
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