Trump threatens to block Bombardier jet sales in U.S. unless company builds there

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published September 8, 2026
Updated September 8, 2026

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U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to prevent Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier from selling its jets in the United States unless the company moves aircraft production onto American soil, escalating pressure on one of Canada’s most prominent aerospace companies amid worsening trade tensions between the two countries.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Bombardier should no longer be allowed to sell aircraft in the U.S. unless it manufactures them in the country. The administration has not yet explained what legal or regulatory mechanism it would use to impose such a restriction on aircraft that are already approved for operation in the United States.

Bombardier responded by emphasizing the scale of its existing U.S. economic footprint. The Montreal-based company works with approximately 2,800 American suppliers across 47 states, spends more than US$2.5 billion annually with U.S. suppliers and directly employs about 3,500 people in the country.

The company already manufactures significant aircraft components in the United States. Wings for some of its business jets are produced at its Texas facility, while flight-control components are made in California. Bombardier aircraft also rely on engines, avionics and other systems supplied by American aerospace companies.

Trump’s threat has also generated political resistance inside the United States. Republican Kansas senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall contacted the White House over concerns about Bombardier jobs in their state. The company employs roughly 1,500 workers in Kansas, accounting for more than 40 percent of its U.S. workforce, according to Reuters.

In Quebec, Premier Christine Fréchette publicly backed Bombardier after contacting chief executive Eric Martel, saying the province would defend its companies, workers and aerospace expertise against pressure over where Canadian firms manufacture their products.

Bombardier shares came under pressure in Toronto following Trump’s comments, closing Tuesday about 3.6 percent lower after falling more sharply earlier in the session as investors assessed the potential consequences of restrictions on the company’s access to its largest market.

The dispute comes as Canadian retaliatory tariffs covering roughly C$27 billion, or about US$20 billion, of American goods took effect following the breakdown of trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington and a widening series of retaliatory measures between the two governments.