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U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that Montreal-based airplane maker Bombardier would no longer be allowed to sell in the United States unless it starts manufacturing in the states.
“NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren’t good enough!” Trump said in Truth Social post.
“If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank.'”
Trump’s post, which comes amid a growing trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa, was the latest salvo in his campaign to pressure foreign and domestic companies to manufacture more products in the U.S.
That objective has driven many economic policies in his second term, especially a near global tariff wall that has drawn complaints from many U.S. trading partners.
Canada is set to introduce a wave of counter-tariffs against the United States early Tuesday.
Bombardier ‘a source of pride,’ premier says
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said on social media on Monday that she won’t respond to Trump’s provocations with more provocations.
“Bombardier is a source of pride for Quebec, a flagship of our economy, and a major player in our aerospace industry. Behind this company are thousands of Quebec workers who showcase our expertise around the world,” she wrote in French.
“I have reached out to Eric Martel, CEO of Bombardier, to offer him our full support.”
U.S. President Donald Trump blasted Canada over trade Wednesday, saying the country has been ‘ripping off’ the United States for years. He mentioned upping tariffs to as much as 100 per cent on imported vehicles or not doing business with Canada at all as possible options.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on how Trump would enforce the action targeting Bombardier or the steps he would take to bar deliveries of Bombardier jets that have been approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The company’s jets also comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) trade deal that Trump helped implement.
Bombardier already building in U.S.
U.S. aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said he didn’t believe any business jet customers would cancel Bombardier orders and didn’t see how Trump could stop them from being sold.
Aboulafia said most Bombardier private jets use U.S. engines, which are produced by Honeywell Aerospace and GE Aerospace.
Aerospace has largely emerged unscathed from the tariff war, with the flow of parts and planes not currently impacted by duties.
Like the U.S. auto sector, which depends on Canadian parts production, aerospace is highly integrated on a global scale.
Bombardier, the rival of U.S. business jet manufacturer Gulfstream Aerospace, has an American workforce of 3,500 and a U.S. footprint of 2,800 suppliers, along with factories and service centres in the country. The company is now adding its sixth U.S. service centre and produces wings for its flagship Global 8000 jet in Texas.
Bombardier also has a defence division with a U.S.-based factory, in Kansas, where it prepares planes for special mission purposes. About half of the fleet of 5,100 aircraft operated by Bombardier customers are located in the U.S.
The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Amid the aftermath of last-minute trade talks breaking down, Unifor national president Lana Payne says the Trump administration is purposely targeting Canada’s manufacturing sector.
In January, Trump said the U.S. was decertifying Bombardier Global Express business jets and threatened 50 per cent import tariffs on all aircraft made in Canada until the country’s regulator certified a number of planes produced by U.S. rival Gulfstream. Neither occurred, but the following month, Canada certified several Gulfstream planes.
Bombardier announced on Sept. 1 that it would acquire a Canadian factory from supplier Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which manufactures wings for the private jet maker’s Global 5500 and 6500 aircraft.
In July, Bombardier reported that its quarterly revenue grew six per cent compared with the same three months a year ago to $2.15 billion U.S., helped by strong demand for aftermarket services.
