NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit to Virginia to commission an aircraft carrier (all times local) : 10: 35 a…
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit to Virginia to commission an aircraft carrier (all times local) :
10: 35 a.m.
President Donald Trump has landed on the deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford for a ceremony to officially turn the aircraft carrier over to the Navy.
Trump was greeted by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and other officials, and huddled with them for several minutes on the steamy deck of the warship docked in Norfolk, Virginia.
Trump flew to the aircraft carrier on the Marine One helicopter, accompanied by chief of staff Reince Priebus, adviser Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin.
The USS Ford is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
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10: 15 a.m.
President Donald Trump has arrived in Virginia to help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.
Trump will preside over Saturday’s ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s state-of-the-art systems.
The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea.
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3: 20 a.m.
President Donald Trump will help commission the USS Gerald R. Ford, a $12.9 billion warship that will officially be turned over to the Navy.
The nation’s commander in chief is traveling to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday to preside over a ceremony during which the USS Ford will formally join the fleet. The vessel is the first member of the next generation of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and is named after the country’s 38th president.
Construction started in 2009 and was to be completed by September 2015 at a cost of $10.5 billion. The Navy blames the delays and budget overruns on the ship’s state-of-the-art systems.
The vessel completed sea trials in April but still will go through a battery of tests and workups at sea.
