‘No more selling Bombardier’: Trump threatens to block US sales of Canadian aircraft maker amid worsening trade row

President Donald Trump threatened on September 8 to block US sales of Canadian plane maker Bombardier unless the company builds aircraft in the United States, amid escalating trade tensions. The statement, made on Trump's Truth Social platform, is the second significant potential action by the US leader against the manufacturer this year. Bombardier currently operates thousands of its aircraft in US airlines' domestic fleets, and the US market accounts for more than half of the company's revenue.

Trump's tweet came on the eve of Canada imposing retaliatory tariffs on a range of US goods, starting from the same day. The US and Canada have been engaged in a contentious tariff war, with both countries imposing duties on each other's products ranging from 15% to 50%. The conflict began last month when Trump imposed 50% tariffs on some US$20 billion worth of Canadian products, including hockey sticks and cement. Canada retaliated by imposing similar tariffs on US goods, including steel, aluminum, and dairy products.

Trump's latest threat signals ongoing frustration over what he perceives as unjust trade provisions favoring Canada. He accused Canada of blocking American banks and companies from doing business in the country and vowed that "that era is OVER!" Even if Trump were to follow through on his latest threat, it remains unclear how it would be implemented. The Federal Aviation Administration, not the White House, is the US agency responsible for certifying or decertifying aircraft in the country.