President Trump has threatened to decertify Bombardier’s planes and impose new tariffs if Canada does not certify its U.S. rival.
Published January 30, 2026
Shares in Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier plunged after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to rescind the certification of the company’s large-cabin aircraft and “all Canadian-built aircraft” and impose 50% import duties on new aircraft until Canada certifies the latest aircraft made by U.S. rival Gulfstream.
The aircraft maker’s stock price fell 9% Friday morning following President Trump’s threat late Thursday.
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A White House official told Reuters that Trump had not indicated that he would decertify Canadian-made aircraft currently in service, but the president’s warning Thursday night caused confusion and alarm among airlines, aviation analysts, and private jet buyers and owners.
“If for some reason this situation is not remedied immediately, I intend to impose a 50% tariff on Canada on all aircraft sold to the United States,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Amanda Applegate, a U.S. Soar aviation lawyer who specializes in business aviation law, said on Friday that the post had led to inquiries from customers who wanted to own or buy Bombardier planes.
Broader tensions have also spread between neighboring countries, after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney last week cited U.S. trade policy and urged countries to accept an end to the rules-based world order that the United States once championed.
Aircraft and aerospace parts have largely escaped the brunt of President Trump’s U.S.-led trade war, with Canadian-made aircraft continuing to be exported south of the border under the USMCA trade agreement.
President Trump also said he would “decertify the Bombardier Global Express and all Canadian-made aircraft” until the Gulfstream planes are certified. Gulfstream is owned by General Dynamics.
If carried out, the threat would have a significant impact on U.S. airlines such as American Airlines and Delta Air Lines, which rely on Canadian-made aircraft for much of their regional service. The United States is also the world’s largest market for business aviation.
Data provider Cirium said there are 150 Global Express aircraft registered in the United States and operated by 115 operators, and a total of 5,425 Canadian-made aircraft of various types, including narrow-body jets, regional jets and helicopters, registered in the United States.
Bombardier said in a statement Thursday that it had “noted” Trump’s post and was in contact with the Canadian government. The company employs more than 3,000 people at nine major U.S. facilities and creates thousands of jobs in the U.S. through 2,800 suppliers, it added.
“Thousands of Canadian-manufactured commercial jets fly in the United States every day. We hope this issue can be resolved quickly to avoid significant impacts to air traffic and the flying public,” the company said.
