Trump says Canada’s Bombardier cannot sell in US unless it builds there

President Donald Trump announced on September 7 that Canada's airplane manufacturer Bombardier would no longer be permitted to sell in the United States unless it established manufacturing operations within the country. Trump made the statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, stating that the company's products were not of sufficient quality.

He emphasized that if Bombardier wished to access the U.S. market, it must begin manufacturing in the United States and cease treating the country as a "piggybank." This announcement is part of Trump's ongoing efforts to compel both foreign and domestic companies to manufacture more products within the United States, a goal that has influenced numerous economic policies during his second term, particularly a comprehensive tariff strategy that has received criticism from numerous U.S. trading partners.

The White House has not yet provided a response regarding how Trump intends to enforce this action or the steps he plans to take. Bombardier already possesses a defense division with a U.S.-based factory in Kansas, where it assembles planes for specialized missions. Approximately half of the fleet of 5,100 aircraft operated by Bombardier customers are situated in the United States.

The company did not immediately provide a comment on the matter. In January, Trump announced that the U.S. was cancelling Bombardier's Global Express business jet business and threatened 50% import tariffs on all aircraft produced in Canada until Canada's regulator certified a number of planes produced by U.S. rival Gulfstream. Neither action took place, but Canada subsequently certified several Gulfstream planes.

On September 1, Bombardier disclosed that it would purchase a Canadian factory from supplier Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which manufactures wings for Bombardier's Global 5500 and 6500 aircraft. In July, the company reported that its quarterly revenue increased by 6% compared to the same three months a year earlier, buoyed by robust demand for aftermarket services.