Business

NEW YORK : President Donald Trump has threatened to prohibit Canadian private jet manufacturer Bombardier from selling aircraft in the United States unless the company builds its planes domestically. In a post on his Truth Social platform on September 7, Trump wrote: 'NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren’t good enough!' He accused the company of treating the U.S. like a 'piggybank,' noting that over 50 percent of Bombardier's revenue comes from American buyers, airports, and services . Trump also criticized Canada for blocking U.S. banks and companies, including American business jet maker Gulfstream Aerospace, from operating in the Canadian market. He stated: 'If they want our market, they must build here and stop treating America like a piggybank' . The White House has not announced a formal mechanism to enforce a sales ban . The threat comes as trade tensions escalate, with Canadian retaliatory tariffs on approximately $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods scheduled to take effect on September 8. The U.S. imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian products on August 22. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned that Washington would not absorb further Canadian reprisals, stating: 'If there are more reprisals from the Canadian side, of course, we are not going to just stand there and take them' . Bombardier responded by highlighting its significant U.S. footprint. The company stated that it employs approximately 3,500 workers across more than 20 states, maintains a supply chain of about 2,800 American companies in 47 states, and spends over $2.5 billion annually with U.S. suppliers. Bombardier noted that its aircraft incorporate numerous American made components, including engines and avionics, and that wings for its Global 8000 business jet are manufactured at its facility in Red Oak, Texas. The company also emphasized that the aerospace industry consistently generates a trade surplus for the U.S. . This is not Trump's first major action against Bombardier. In January 2026, he threatened to decertify Bombardier's Global Express business jets and impose a 50 percent tariff on all Canadian-made aircraft unless Canada certified several Gulfstream models. Canada subsequently certified the Gulfstream jets in February, a move Trump claimed resulted directly from his pressure . Industry analysts have questioned the feasibility of Trump's latest threat. Aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia noted that no president has previously used aviation safety certification as a trade tool, calling it 'an extremely bad idea'. He also stated that it is unclear how the administration could prevent Bombardier aircraft, which already hold FAA certifications, from being delivered to U.S. customers. Trade experts have also pointed out that Bombardier's aircraft comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the trade framework established during Trump's first term. The FAA has not issued any formal order affecting Bombardier's certification following the September 7 post .