Washington/Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian-made aircraft and to “decertify” planes built in Canada, singling out Bombardier jets in the latest escalation of trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump accused Canada of unfairly blocking the certification of several Gulfstream aircraft models, including the G500, G600, G700 and G800. He claimed the move effectively prevents the U.S.-based manufacturer from selling its aircraft in Canada.
“Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products through this certification process,” Trump wrote, adding that his administration would respond by decertifying Bombardier Global Express jets and other Canadian-built aircraft unless the issue is “immediately corrected.”
Trump warned that failure to resolve the dispute could result in a 50 per cent tariff on all aircraft sold from Canada into the United States.
It remains unclear what Trump meant by “decertifying” the aircraft. Certification for planes operating in U.S. airspace falls under the authority of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is overseen by a Trump-appointed administrator. A White House official told Reuters that the president was not proposing to decertify Canadian-built aircraft already in service.
According to Bloomberg News, more than half of Bombardier’s global fleet of about 5,200 aircraft operates in the United States, with roughly two-thirds of the company’s sales coming from the U.S. market. Canada accounts for only a small share of Bombardier’s sales.
Bombardier said it was aware of Trump’s remarks and confirmed it is in contact with the federal government. In a statement, the company said its aircraft, facilities and technicians meet FAA certification standards and emphasized its ongoing investments and expansion in the United States.
“We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact to air traffic and the flying public,” the company said.
The dispute revives memories of Trump’s first term, when his administration imposed steep tariffs on Bombardier’s C Series aircraft — now known as the Airbus A220 — a move that ultimately led to the program’s sale to Airbus.
Beyond Bombardier, other manufacturers with operations in Canada, including De Havilland Canada and Airbus, could also be affected if the tariff threat is carried out.
Trump’s latest comments come amid renewed political friction between Canada and the United States following his re-election. In recent months, he has repeatedly criticized Canada, threatened sweeping tariffs and taken aim at Prime Minister Mark Carney, even referring to him as “governor” in public remarks.
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is set for review later this year, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has cautioned Ottawa against escalating tensions ahead of those talks, urging Canadian leaders not to “pick a fight” with Washington.
