Staff Reports
When the president is seeking reelection, using Air Force One to fly to campaign events can raise eyebrows. It’s a big cost, and some wonder who should pay for it.
Typically, during campaign events, the president’s campaign is expected to cover the expenses for using Air Force One. But it can be tricky to separate official duties from campaigning.
In a recent report, it was mentioned that there can be a blurry line between governing and campaigning. For example, the president might attend an official event but also make campaign-related remarks during the same trip.
It’s up to White House lawyers to decide how much should be reimbursed to the government (meaning taxpayers) for trips that involve a mix of official business and campaigning.
In past instances, when Trump was seeking reelection, his campaign repaid over $4 million to the U.S. Treasury for such trips. Currently, Biden’s campaign has only reimbursed $300,000.
The costs of using Air Force One and other accompanying logistics are quite high. For instance, Marine One can cost between $16,700 and almost $20,000 per hour to operate, while Air Force One is around $200,000 per hour. These numbers exclude additional expenses like transporting vehicles and security teams.
It remains to be seen how much Biden’s campaign will end up paying for using Air Force One for campaign purposes, if any at all.
