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Richard Aboulafia
August 19, 2025
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, left, attended a business deal signing ceremony at the Royal Palace in Doha on May 14 with U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, right. Credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
Government-directed jetliner sales are back. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates signed large orders during President Donald Trump’s Middle East trip in May (see photo), and Poland’s LOT Airlines selected Airbus A220s over Embraer 195s in June in a very politicized selection process ( AW&ST June 30…
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