Trump Threatens to Bar Bombardier Sales in US, Reigniting Trade Feud With Canada

US President Donald Trump escalated his trade dispute with Canada late Monday, declaring that Montreal-based planemaker Bombardier would no longer be allowed to sell aircraft in the United States unless it shifts manufacturing onto American soil. The threat, posted on his Truth Social platform, marks the latest flashpoint in a relationship between the two countries that has grown increasingly strained through Trump's second term.

What Trump Said

In his post, Trump argued that Bombardier had long benefited from access to the US market while Canada allegedly blocked American firms, including Savannah-based Gulfstream Aerospace, from competing fairly north of the border. He framed the move as a matter of reciprocity, saying companies that want access to the American market "must build here" rather than treat the US as, in his words, a "piggybank."

The complaint traces back to a long-running dispute over aircraft certification. Trump has repeatedly accused Canadian regulators of slow-walking approval for newer Gulfstream jet models, and he floated a similar threat in January, when he proposed a 50 percent tariff on Canadian-built aircraft. That earlier threat was never formally implemented, and it remains unclear whether Monday's warning will translate into an actual policy action or trade order.

Bombardier's US Footprint

The irony of the threat, analysts note, is that Bombardier is not purely a foreign manufacturer from Washington's perspective. The company already operates a facility in Wichita, Kansas, that builds specialized mission aircraft for military customers and employs roughly 3,500 American workers. That existing US presence could complicate any effort to frame Bombardier as an outside competitor undercutting domestic industry.

Canada's Response

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has signalled it will not back down quietly. Ottawa has already begun preparing retaliatory trade measures in response to earlier US tariff actions, arguing that Washington's approach has made it an unreliable trading partner. Canadian officials have said the goal of any counter-tariffs is to make the economic cost of the dispute tangible enough for American businesses and consumers that Washington has an incentive to return to the negotiating table.

The broader US-Canada relationship has deteriorated sharply over the past year, with Trump's repeated suggestions that Canada could become the "51st state" adding a political edge to what might otherwise be a narrower commercial dispute. In response, Canada has been diversifying its economic and security partnerships, including a recently announced deal to shift production of railcars for Canada's national rail operator away from the United States.

What Happens Next

For now, Monday's post remains a threat rather than an enacted policy, and there is no indication that the US Commerce Department or Federal Aviation Administration has begun formal proceedings to restrict Bombardier sales. Given that the January tariff threat did not materialize into action, markets and industry watchers are likely to treat this latest warning with some caution until a concrete regulatory step follows. Still, the renewed rhetoric underscores how quickly trade tensions between the two historically close allies can resurface, with implications for aerospace supply chains on both sides of the border.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.