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Autodesk’s Dara Treseder explains why the company is investing $350 million in AI training

Autodesk is making a $350 million investment in training and tools to help people learn how to use artificial intelligence, said Dara Treseder, the company’s chief marketing officer, in an interview at the 2026 Cannes Lions Festival.

Treseder cited insights gleaned from the company’s recent AI jobs report. “It showed that while 82% of people are very comfortable using LLMs in their daily lives, only a third of people are comfortable using AI in their job,” she said. In the report, respondents said they fear AI might not work properly or will make humans irrelevant.

“That education is so key, not only to give people the skills and the talent,” she said, “but to change the mindset.”

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As buyers make decisions through LLMs, Bobcat’s Laura Ness Owens is focusing more on customer experience

Laura Ness Owens, chief marketing officer at Bobcat, a manufacturer of compact construction and landscaping machines, said that she wants to meet customers where they are searching for information.

Previously, the customer journey could start with search and the company’s website, she said. “Today, many customers are going right to the large-language-models and saying, ‘I want the right loader for me, to do this type of work’, so they are skipping much of that research stage that we were able to guide.”

Owens says that product reviews, earned media, and dealer reviews factor into those LLM results. “You have to understand that the good, the bad, and the ugly are out there,” she said. “It’s pushed us to really focus greater on that customer experience.”

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A Washington, DC, rowhouse built during George Washington’s presidency is on sale for $1.15 million. Look inside.

Exterior of 1317 4th Street SW, a 1790s row home in Washington, D.C.
The rowhouses on 4th Street SW in Washington, DC, were built in 1794.
  • The homes in Southwest Washington, DC, known as Wheat Row, were built in 1794.
  • One of the properties is now on the market for $1.15 million.
  • The home’s features include seven fireplaces and moldings that date back more than 200 years.

In 1794, there were just 15 states in the Union, Philadelphia was still the nation’s capital, and George Washington was leading armed forces through Pennsylvania to put down the Whiskey Rebellion.

That same year, a collection of rowhouses in Washington, DC, known as Wheat Row, was being constructed. They still stand today, and one of the homes is up for sale.

Located on 4th Street SW near Washington, DC’s Southwest waterfront, the home is listed for $1.15 million after a recent $150,000 price cut. The property blends historic character with updates designed for modern living, according to Eric Stewart, the home’s listing agent from Long & Foster Real Estate.

“It’s comfortable for contemporary living and enjoyment, but with the heart of classic colonialism,” Stewart told Business Insider.

The seller, a retired history professor, has an appreciation for the home’s past, according to Stewart. He added that the ideal buyer would carry this same appreciation.

“Everybody wants to be able to see something built in that era, but not everybody wants to live in a home from that age,” Stewart said.

The homes in Wheat Row are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and were among the first housing developments built in DC after it was chosen to become America’s capital city.

Today, the home is fitted with more modern amenities, sparing potential buyers the conditions the first residents endured before DC had a sewage system.

Take a look inside this historic Wheat Row home.

The homes on Wheat Row have had many different owners throughout their history.
A black and white photo of the Wheat Row homes in the 1930s.
The Wheat Row homes in the 1930s.

The Wheat Row homes were constructed by James Greenleaf starting in 1794. The Wheat Row name comes from an early 19th-century resident of one of the homes, John Wheat, a gardener and messenger for the US Senate.

The buildings later took on non-residential functions in the mid-20th century. In the 1940s and ’50s, the Barney Neighborhood House, a community service organization, occupied multiple Wheat Row homes, including the one for sale. Other units were used as a location for the US Service Men’s Club and a daycare, according to the National Register of Historic Places.

With their inclusion in the Harbour Square development project in the ’60s, the homes all reverted back to residences.

Today, the 3,408 square-foot home is defined by its high ceilings and hardwood floors.
A couch, chairs and coffee table in a grey and white room with hardwood floors.
The house’s interior stays true to the colonial style.

Though the four-floor home is narrow and compact, the 12-foot ceilings make for a spacious interior.

Hardwood floors cover nearly the entire house, including the stairs.

Handcrafted designs and other historic touches are seen throughout the house.
A staircase with an intricately designed carpet.
1317’s wooden moldings likely date back to over 200 years ago.

The home has eye-catching millwork in nearly every room. According to Stewart, the home’s wooden moldings date back to the 19th century and possibly earlier.

This extensive woodworking was common in this era of homes, with moldings and trims produced by skilled artisans influenced by European styles, according to Pebbles & Thorns Woodworking.

Chandeliers and colonial light fixtures appear throughout the house.
A chandelier hangs in an empty room.
Colonial-style light fixtures appear throughout the home.

In multiple rooms, there are low-hanging chandeliers or candle-like light fixtures, once again defined by the colonial era.

Chandeliers were once a symbol of wealth and extravagance, and while that standard is still reflected in modern design, the introduction of electric lighting in the late 19th century allowed for more affordable chandeliers, per The Examiner News.

An elevator allows for easy access between the home’s four floors.
An elevator in a hallway.
The home features an elevator.

Even though the elevator was added in 2005, it has a classic charm, with all-wooden walls inside.

A kitchen renovated in the 1960s mixes retro with classic.
A kitchen with an island counter, stove, refrigerator, and cabinets.
To give the kitchen a modern redesign, it could cost roughly $100,000.

The home’s large kitchen was last renovated over half a century ago, meaning it would need about $100,000 of work to bring it into the modern era, by Stewart’s estimates.

Alternatively, a buyer could work to restore the kitchen’s true colonial look and feel with classic wooden cabinets and finishes.

The home has four bedrooms and two living spaces.
A bed in front of a fireplace.
One of the home’s four bedrooms.

This not only creates the potential for multiple residents, but the home’s four different floors also allow for privacy.

It has four full bathrooms, plus a powder room.
A bathroom with cabinets, a toilet and tub.
The house’s basement bathroom.

The home’s 1950s bathrooms could also be renovated. One quirk is split bathrooms on the third and fourth floors — they have a shower and toilet/sink separated by a wall.

A total of seven fireplaces keep the house warm.
A large bed next to a fireplace.
Fireplaces were often the centerpieces of homes in Wheat Row’s era, explaining the home’s staggering seven.

Common for the time period, the property’s centerpieces are its seven fireplaces, which appear on every single floor of the home.

Although this defining feature adds to the home’s quaintness, it creates hurdles for any buyer considering renovation. Stewart said that the rooms’ layout around the fireplaces complicates any attempts at reconfiguration.

The property suits multiple kinds of buyers, according to the listing agent.
A dining table with chairs under a low-hanging chandelier.
Renovation possibilities make the home a desirable home for buyers with a creative vision.

“We’re looking for a buyer who likes a home that is older in style and feel and embraces the uniqueness of the property, or somebody that has the vision to restore the majesty of the property, but refresh and renew it into a 21st-century rowhouse,” Stewart said.

With lots of opportunities for renovation, the home could appeal to buyers looking for a project.

“It poses a good value for someone who has a vision,” Stewart added.

The home is for sale at an uncertain time in the DC housing market.
Two chairs next to two couches with wooden medallions on the walls.
One of 1317’s living rooms.

Stewart said the housing market in Southwest Washington, DC, has been struggling after a wave of job cuts last year.

Historic homes like the Wheat Row home could attract outside buyers looking to stake their claim in pieces of American history.

The home is less than five minutes from DC’s Southwest Waterfront.
A balcony view overlooking a river.
Wheat Row residents share rooftop access.

The Wheat Row homes sit along DC’s Washington Channel, running parallel to the Potomac River.

Wheat Row residents, as part of the Harbour Square co-op, get access to a rooftop deck, which overlooks the water. Other co-op amenities include a shared heated pool, gardens, and a fitness center.

The property has quick access to attractions in The Wharf, the waterfront’s mixed-use neighborhood.
Boats on a riverfront.
The Wharf saw a redevelopment project in the 2010s and ’20s.

The home sits in the middle of a booming modern neighborhood known as The Wharf, which has undergone redevelopment over the past two decades.

The area is filled with theaters and concert halls, offices, restaurants, and public spaces.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in February 2026 and was updated in July 2026 to reflect the property’s price drop.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Retailers are calling on AI to stop customer return fraud

Warehouse workers checking boxes.
  • AI helps retailers detect return fraud, boosting efficiency in reverse logistics operations.
  • Retailers employ AI to manage high return volumes, ensuring quicker refunds and customer loyalty.
  • AI spots unusual return patterns, aiding in fraud prevention and enhancing retail operations.

It’s not uncommon for a consumer to order the same shirt in three sizes, then return the two that don’t fit. But what happens when the consumer swaps the labels and returns different shirts, or buys a dress for an event, wears it once with the tag tucked in, then returns it?

These are examples of return fraud, a retail-industry risk that’s on the rise “in both scale and sophistication,” said Juan Hernandez-Campos, the chief operating officer at Happy Returns, a software company that manages returns and is part of UPS. Today, about 9% of returns are fraudulent, according to the 2025 Retail Returns Landscape report published by the National Retail Federation and Happy Returns last October.

With fraud a persistent problem amid growing return volumes, merchants can no longer rely on the “highly manual” methods they previously used to process returns, Campos said.

Instead, retailers and their software partners are turning to AI to help manage reverse logistics, the part of the supply chain that involves handling returns and restocking inventory. Narvar, which works with companies including DSW and Newell Brands, touts AI technology that processes billions of consumer data points to detect fraud. Meanwhile, Loop is using AI to automate decisions and unearth fraud for customers like Keen and Princess Polly.

Jackie Swanson, a managing partner at Gartner Consulting, said retailers have shifted over the last 18 months from machine-learning-enhanced fraud detection to AI systems. The goal? Stop fraud in its tracks, reduce losses, and speed up legitimate returns, getting inventory back to sale as quickly as possible.

Among retailers with more than $1 billion in annual revenue, “almost all of them have something in place,” Swanson said, with apparel, beauty, and footwear at the forefront due to their high return rates.

AI can tackle return fraud

Caroline Reppert, the senior director of AI and technology policy at the National Retail Federation, said reverse logistics is “emerging as a key focus area” as retailers consider how to use AI.

Retailers are contending with return fraud issues like overstated quantities — when a consumer claims they returned more items than they actually did — empty-box returns, or sending boxes filled with rocks, label tampering, and counterfeit substitutions. Some consumers engage in wardrobing, in which they use or wear an item for a short time before returning it.

One big advantage of AI, according to Campos, is that it can analyze large volumes of return data to identify patterns that could be tough to find manually. For example, Happy Returns — whose clients include Everlane, Pact, and Under Armour — uses a technology called Return Vision, which detects discrepancies in merchandise like incorrect logos, altered tags, differences in materials, or product swaps.

If Return Vision spots one of these issues, it feeds the data to retail dashboards in real time, allowing retailers to view potential problems quickly, Campos said. Retailers can see why the return was flagged and photos of the returned items. They then have evidence to dispute any consumer claims, even before the item reaches the warehouse.

Happy Returns also uses AI-based behavioral risk scoring, which identifies potentially high-risk returns based on return frequency, timing, geography, and historical behavior. The returns can be flagged for human review before retailers issue a refund.

That said, retailers reveal a mixed picture on AI for return fraud. In NRF’s report, only 45% of companies said they believe AI and machine learning are truly effective at preventing return fraud on their own.

Bully Max, which makes dog food and supplements, uses AI systems from Shopify and Chargeflow to detect return fraud, according to CEO Matthew Kinneman. If fraud occurs or a consumer files a chargeback, the AI automatically generates evidence on Bully Max’s behalf to submit to the credit card company.

That said, Kinneman acknowledged that AI isn’t perfect. The company has to manually send screenshots to the credit card company, for example. “We’ve found that human review is still essential,” he said.

A speedier return

Fraud isn’t the only use case for AI in reverse logistics. Bully Max also uses AI to spot patterns, like recurring return reasons. Then the team can improve a product’s page and description, providing more accurate information before consumers make a purchase.

“In many cases, preventing a return is more valuable than processing one efficiently,” Kinneman said.

Swanson said her clients are also using AI for predictive returns and warehousing decisions. In the former, AI models proactively flag orders that are likely to be returned and suggest alternate sizes or products before the consumer finalizes their purchase. In the latter, when a return arrives at a retailer’s warehouse, AI recommends whether the retailer should resell, liquidate, or even destroy the item based on its potential resale value.

Returns have historically been manual and time-consuming, Reppert told Business Insider. AI “allows retailers to handle higher return volumes with greater speed and consistency.”

Faster processing also benefits consumers by providing a quicker refund for returned merchandise, Campos said. A positive return experience can build brand loyalty and encourage consumers to make another purchase with the retailer, he added.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Serena Williams arrived at Wimbledon with a $45,000 pink watch. Here’s a look at her timepiece and other A-list wrist candy.

Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2026.
Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2026.
  • Many A-list attendees have been spotted at Wimbledon wearing coveted watches.
  • Serena Williams wore a pink Audemars Piguet watch, valued at more than $45,000.
  • David Beckham sported a $5,350 Tudor Black Bay 58 in steel.

Wimbledon is underway, and luxury watches seem to be as common in the stands as those bright green tennis balls on the court.

The famed tennis tournament is being held between June 29 and July 12 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.

Athletes like Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are hitting the court to compete, and celebrities like David Beckham are supporting from the sidelines.

Both players and attendees are sporting luxury timepieces that are catching a lot of attention. Here’s the wrist candy we’ve spotted so far.

Serena Williams arrived for her first match wearing a pink Audemars Piguet watch.
Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2026.
Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2026.

While leaving a practice session, Williams was photographed wearing the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph timepiece.

The $45,900 watch has a diamond-set bezel, a titanium case, 18-carat white-gold hands, and a pink bracelet.

It perfectly matched the handle of her tennis racquet.

David Beckham opted for a steel Tudor piece.
David Beckham at Wimbledon 2026.
David Beckham at Wimbledon 2026.

The soccer legend attended the first day of Wimbledon wearing a gray suit and a steel watch. The latter was the new Tudor Black Bay 58, which retails for $5,350.

The silver piece has a black face beneath a domed dial and distinct rhodium-plated hands.

Romeo Beckham one-upped his dad with a Patek Phillipe watch.
Kim Turnball and Romeo Beckham at Wimbledon 2026.
Kim Turnball and Romeo Beckham at Wimbledon 2026.

The model attended with his girlfriend, Kim Turnball, and was photographed wearing the Nautilus 7118 watch from the Swiss brand. It retails for $68,268.

Traditionally a women’s watch, it has a rose-gold bracelet, a silver opaline dial with a wave pattern, and shining white hands.

Alexander Ludwig sported a simple timepiece from Frédérique Constant.
Niall Horan and Alexander Ludwig at Wimbledon 2026.
Niall Horan and Alexander Ludwig at Wimbledon 2026.

The “Vikings” actor sat beside musician Niall Horan and wore a Swiss watch on his left wrist.

The Frédérique Constant piece (model FC-303MS4C24) is from the watchmaker’s classic collection. It features a rectangular face in rose gold with a black leather band.

It’s no longer sold by the brand and is sold out by secondhand watch dealers.

Esteban Ocon was there on day two wearing a Bianchet watch.
Esteban Ocon at Wimbledon 2026.
Esteban Ocon at Wimbledon 2026.

The French Formula 1 driver wore the Tonneau Ultrafino Carbon watch, which costs about $83,895 (67,500 CHF).

The black design features a double strap made in part from high-density carbon, a square face with visible gears, and self-winding hands.

On Wednesday, Erica Stoll wore a diamond-encrusted Patek Philippe piece.
Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll at Wimbledon 2026.
Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll at Wimbledon 2026.

Stoll sat in the audience with her husband, golf star Rory McIlroy, and flashed her rose-gold Patek Phillipe watch as she clapped.

She wore a version of the Nautilus 7118 that retails for $76,645. It has 56 diamonds around its face and a thick, shining bracelet.

Joao Fonseca signed autographs with a Rolex on his wrist.
Joao Fonseca at Wimbledon 2026.
Joao Fonseca at Wimbledon 2026.

The athlete wore the $40,000 Yacht-Master 42, which has a black dial and white-gold features.

It’s also known for being legible in the dark and scratch-resistant.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How Trump’s new Air Force One, a luxury jet from Qatar, compares to the outgoing presidential plane

The old and new Air Force One planes.
The old and new Air Force One planes.
  • President Donald Trump flew on his new Air Force One for the first time on Wednesday.
  • The VC-25B, a luxury jet valued at around $400 million, was gifted to Trump by Qatar.
  • The new Air Force One is bigger, faster, more fuel-efficient, and more luxurious than the old one.

Since his first term in the White House, President Donald Trump has displayed a model of a new Air Force One plane on his desk.

On Wednesday, his long-held vision became a reality when the aircraft he accepted as a gift from Qatar, designated the VC-25B Bridge, flew as Air Force One for the first time.

Speaking to reporters before boarding the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump called it the “best plane ever built.”

He later landed in Medora, North Dakota, for the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

Retrofitted with state-of-the-art protective measures and painted with his favored colors of red, white, and blue, the new presidential plane is bigger, faster, more fuel-efficient, and more luxurious than the outgoing VC-25A, which has been in service since President George H.W. Bush held office in the 1990s.

Here’s how Trump’s new VC-25B Bridge compares to the old VC-25A.

The old Air Force One was a customized Boeing 747-200B, designated VC-25A, that entered service under President George H.W. Bush.
President George Bush and first lady Barbara Bush exit Air Force One in 1991.
President George Bush and first lady Barbara Bush exit Air Force One in 1991.

The first VC-25A, known as SAM 28000, began serving as Air Force One in 1990.

The outgoing Air Force One, a second, identical VC-25A known as SAM 29000, entered service in 1991.

The VC-25A measures 231 feet and 10 inches long with a wingspan of 195 feet and 8 inches.

The new Air Force One is a customized Boeing 747-8i built in 2012 and previously used as a luxury transport by the Qatari royal family.
A Qatari Boeing 747.
In this February 15, 2025 a Qatari Boeing 747 sits on the tarmac of Palm Beach International airport after US President Donald Trump toured the aircraft on February 15, 2025. Donald Trump plans to accept a luxury Boeing jet from the Qatari royal family for use as Air Force One and then continue flying in it after his tenure, despite strict rules on US presidential gifts, media reported May 11, 2025. Calling the plane a “flying palace,” ABC News, which first reported the story, said the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet would possibly be the most expensive gift ever received by the American government.

The VC-25B Bridge — so called because it’s serving as an interim presidential aircraft before Boeing’s customized VC-25Bs are completed in 2027 or 2028 — is larger than the VC-25A at 250 feet long, with a wingspan of 224 feet and 5 inches.

The old Air Force One featured a light blue and white paint job resembling the design originally chosen by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
SAM 29000.
Air Force One transporting US President Donald Trump from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, to attend the NATO summit in The Hague, lands at Amsterdam’s Schiphol aiport on June 24, 2025. NATO leaders hold a two-day summit on June 24 and 25 in The Hague. (Photo by Koen van Weel / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT (Photo by KOEN VAN WEEL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images

Jacqueline Kennedy chose the shades of blue and white for SAM 26000, a Boeing VC-137C that entered service in 1962 under President John F. Kennedy.

The first lady was also responsible for adding the words “United States of America” to the presidential plane.

An American flag was featured on the tail, with the stars facing forward per the US Flag Code.

Trump selected a red, white, and navy blue livery for the new Air Force One and a new waving American flag design on the tail.
Trump's new Air Force One jet.
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND – JUNE 22: A Boeing 747-8 jetliner practices touch and go landings on June 22, 2026 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The plane, which was a gift from the government of Qatar, is designated as the new Air Force One and will replace the military-grade 747-2. The Air Force has been working to upgrade the jet so it is ready for presidential transport.

The Air Force initially rejected the navy paint color Trump proposed during his first term for the forthcoming VC-25Bs, saying a thermal study found that the darker shade would require additional testing to avoid overheating issues. However, Trump got his preferred colors in his second term. He also reimagined the tail’s flag design.

“As you know, we’ve always gone with a straight little noodle and I never loved that,” Trump said of the tail’s new waving flag design after touring the plane at Joint Base Andrews on June 19. “Now we have a wavy, beautiful flag. We’re waving it proudly because our country is doing so well.”

The old Air Force One jet had four General Electric CF6-80C2B1 jet engines, each with 56,700 pounds of thrust.
Air Force One, SAM 29000.
President Donald Trump arrives at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky., aboard Air Force One on Aug. 21, 2019. Trump was in town to speak at an AMVETS convention and attend a fundraiser for Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s re-election campaign.

While traveling at 630 miles per hour, the VC-25A had a range of 7,800 miles without refueling.

The four GEnx-2B engines on the new Air Force One each feature 66,500 pounds of thrust and emit 16 tons less carbon dioxide per trip, the White House said.
The four engines on the new Air Force One.
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND – JUNE 22: A Boeing 747-8 jetliner practices touch and go landings on June 22, 2026 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The plane, which was a gift from the government of Qatar, is designated as the new Air Force One and will replace the military-grade 747-2. The Air Force has been working to upgrade the jet so it is ready for presidential transport.

The VC-25B Bridge can fly faster and farther than its predecessor, with a range of 8,900 miles at 660 miles per hour.

Both the VC-25A and VC-25B Bridge are capable of midair refueling.

The interiors of the old Air Force One largely remained the same through several administrations, with a few cosmetic changes.
Trump on Air Force One.
President Donald Trump, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani aboard Air Force One during a refueling stop in Doha, Qatar, enroute to the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, October 25, 2025.

Some furniture and decor had been updated under various presidents — for example, President Bill Clinton’s Air Force One conference room featured tan leather chairs, while President Barack Obama opted for a darker chocolate brown. However, the plane’s beige walls and wood paneling didn’t change much throughout its 35 years of service.

Trump’s new luxury jet is outfitted with gold light fixtures, reclining massage chairs, and gleaming surfaces throughout.
Trump inside the new Air Force One.
President Donald J. Trump tours the new Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Trump called the new Air Force One “the world’s most luxurious plane.” It features a primary bedroom with an en-suite bathroom that includes a walk-in shower, as well as a common area with couches and private office spaces.

The press section is also outfitted with luxurious touches, including reclining massage chairs.

The old VC-25A planes cost $325 million each.
Joe Biden on Air Force One.
President Joe Biden meets with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, left, and N.Y. Reps. Nydia Velazquez and Hakeem Jeffries aboard Air Force One, Thursday, February 3, 2022, en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.

Boeing is building new, customized VC-25Bs to serve as Air Force One, but the $3.9 billion project is behind schedule. The planes were initially supposed to be delivered in 2024, but the timeframe has been pushed to 2027 or 2028, prompting Trump to seek his own means of acquiring a new presidential jet.

The new presidential jet was a gift from Qatar valued at around $400 million, but the cost of retrofitting it to serve as Air Force One remains classified.
Donald Trump on the new Air Force One plane.
President Donald J. Trump tours the new Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Friday, June 19, 2026.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink told Congress in June 2025 that retrofitting the new Air Force One would cost less than $400 million, while some lawmakers expressed concerns that it could cost up to $1 billion in taxpayer funds.

In July 2025, The New York Times flagged a $934 million transfer of funds from a nuclear modernization budget for updating aging ground-based weapons systems to a classified project, which it reported could be the new Air Force One since the presidential plane is equipped to order nuclear strikes. The Air Force declined to comment.

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