War planes to fly over White House as Trump signs Big Beautiful Bill. Here's how much it could cost

The US Air Force's show over the White House on July 4, featuring B-2, F-22, and F-35 aircraft, could cost around $2 million.

Updated on: Jul 4, 2025, 05:39:41 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Beaming with happiness after the US Congress passed the Big Beautiful Bill, Donald Trump spoke to reporters at the Joint Base Andrews on Thursday as he left for the Iowa State Fairgrounds to participate in 4th of July celebrations. The 79-year-old revealed that as he signs the Big Beautiful Bill into law on July 4, B2 and F22 and F35 war planes will be flying over the White House.

President Donald Trump speaks to the press before boarding Air Force One as he departs for Iowa, (REUTERS/Nathan Howard) (REUTERS)

Trump said that he is going to sign the bill around 5 p.m. in the afternoon on July 4. And as he does so, the war planes will buzz over the White House to mark the occasion, the POTUS revealed.

"We're signing at about 5 o'clock, and at about 5 o'clock, we're going to have B2s and F22s and F35s flying right over the White House," Trump said.

Here's the video:

How Much Will It Cost The US Govt?

Based on US Air Force operating costs per hour of flight— about $150,741 for the B2s (Source: Popular Mechanics), $85,325 for the F22 Raptors (Source: SlashGear), and $42,000 for the F35A (Source: FlyAJetFighter) — and assuming round-trip flight times of about 4 hours for B-2 bombers from Missouri and 2 hours for F-22s and F-35s from Virginia or Maryland, the estimated total cost for flying two B-2s, three F-22s, and three F-35s would be approximately $2 million.

Trump did not mention how many of each warplane variant are going to fly over the White House as he signs the bill. The exact cost of Friday's US Air Force show over the White House will become clear once the number of aircraft in each category used in it is revealed.

Also read: Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill passes crucial House vote in massive GOP win

Trump Big Beautiful Bill Passed

The House GOP managed to get President Trump's tax and spending bill passed (218-214 votes), despite strong bipartisan opposition. While all Democrats voted against the bill, two GOP lawmakers broke party ranks and voted against, giving it only a slight margin. The bill has been sent to President Trump for his signature, after which it will officially become an act.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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