For Boeing chief, how cozy is too cozy in access to Trump?
Few companies have been as successful as Boeing in building a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump. The question is how close is too close?
The company found itself in an awkward position this week after Bloomberg reported that Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg had listened in on a phone call last month between Trump and the Air Force general managing purchases of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets. The president has repeatedly criticized the plane for its high costs while suggesting Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet might be a cheaper alternative.
The call, in Trump’s New York office, appeared to catch Muilenburg off-guard, and details of how it came about remain scarce. Yet the unusual situation, raising questions of the integrity of the government bidding process, highlights the perils executives face in trying to navigate Trump’s unorthodox style.
By listening in, Muilenburg potentially could have heard information “related to Lockheed that may not otherwise be available to Boeing,” said George Brenkert, a professor of business ethics at Georgetown University.
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