Trump threatens to halt sale of Canadian Bombardier jets in US - as trade war intensifies

President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to halt sales of Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in the United States unless it begins building planes within the country. This comes as the two nations escalate a tariff war, with Canada imposing retaliatory tariffs on a range of US goods starting Tuesday. Trump posted the threat in all caps on his Truth Social platform, though he did not specify how he would enforce the sales halt.

He stated that if Bombardier wants access to the US market, it must build its aircraft in the US and stop treating America like a "piggybank." Bombardier responded by asserting that the company creates tens of thousands of jobs in the US and relies on American-made components for its aircraft. The Canadian corporation also mentioned that it plans to open a new facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, later this year.

Trump's threats against Bombardier are not new, as he had previously threatened to decertify Bombardier planes and impose a 50-percent tariff on Canadian aircraft in January. However, it remains unclear how Trump would attempt to stop Bombardier sales, as the Federal Aviation Administration, not the White House, is responsible for certifying or decertifying aircraft in the US.

Currently, Bombardier's aircraft remain certified in the US and the company is exempt from US tariffs.