The new one comes with a gold escalator.

Another day, another million jobs created and billion dollars saved … in Donald Trump’s mind. Trump’s penchant for claiming to have saved jobs when he hasn’t, created jobs that aren’t new, and saved billions that he didn’t is nothing new. But this time, even the Air Force can’t locate the source of Trump’s theoretical savings.

The Air Force can’t account for $1 billion in savings that President Donald Trump said he’s negotiated for the program to develop, purchase and operate two new Boeing Co. jets to serve as Air Force One.

Trump claims that with just an hour’s conversation, he dropped the $4.2 price tag of a new Air Force One by a quarter. The only problem is … there is no such savings. No such price tag. Not even any new Air Force One.

The closest thing anyone can point at is an initial study …

Ryder said Boeing is now operating under an initial $172 million contract to work on “risk reduction activities.” The service expects to award contracts by June 30 for preliminary aircraft design and for the two unmodified 747-8 aircraft that will be adapted as Air Force One.

That study hasn’t generated any prices for the new aircraft. They’re not designed, much less under construction. And Trump’s contention that the Air Force was about to sign a $4.2 billion contract, that’s an alternative lie. It’s a lie.

In fact, the requirements for the jet aren’t set by the Air Force. It’s the White House that will look through the plans and determine what’s required. So if Donald Trump wants to make the project cheaper, he can easily do so by downgrading the requirements. And since the planes won’t be ready until after 2020, he’ll never have to fly in them.