WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) on Thursday

named Jeff Shockey as its new top lobbyist, as the U.S.

planemaker faces a number of issues in Washington including

criticism from President Donald Trump over delayed deliveries of

new Air Force One jets.

Shockey returns to Boeing ( BA ) after the firm's last head of

government affairs left abruptly in December. He previously

headed global government relations at aerospace and defense firm

RTX, formerly known as Raytheon, and before that was

vice president of global sales and marketing for Boeing Defense,

Space & Security as well as a senior Boeing ( BA ) lobbyist and former

U.S. House aide.

Boeing ( BA ) is dealing with the risk of potential new tariffs

impacting airplane production and exports as well as scrutiny

over its quality and manufacturing after a 2024 mid-air

emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9.

On Wednesday, Trump said he was not happy with Boeing ( BA )

for significant delays delivering next-generation Air Force One

planes and warned he might pursue a new option.

Boeing ( BA ) has lost more than $2 billion on its contract to

deliver two new presidential aircraft. Trump raised the issue of

the delayed planes in a call with Boeing ( BA ) CEO Kelly Ortberg soon

after he was elected in November.

Boeing's ( BA ) Air Force One program could be delayed until

2029, or beyond, a White House official told Reuters this week.

Ortberg will testify on April 2 before the Senate

Commerce Committee on steps taken by Boeing ( BA ) following the 2024

Alaska Airlines mid-air emergency.

"There have been too many unfortunate safety issues with

Boeing ( BA ) in recent years," Senator Ted Cruz, chair of the Commerce

Committee, said on Thursday, adding the public needs to know the

steps the planemaker is taking to restore confidence.

Trump's nominee to be deputy transportation secretary,

Steve Bradbury, said Thursday that regulators "need to be

tougher on Boeing ( BA )."

The Federal Aviation Administration imposed a production cap

on Boeing ( BA ) of 38 737 jets a month after the Alaska Airlines plane

incident. Boeing ( BA ) is still working to get approval to sell two

new versions of the 737 MAX from the FAA.

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau and

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plan to visit Boeing ( BA )

facilities in Seattle in mid-March to get an update on the

firm's quality efforts. Duffy has said he will not lift the cap

until he is satisfied with Boeing's ( BA ) quality improvements.