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U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to slap a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian aircraft and says his administration will “decertify” those planes, mentioning a series of jets by aerospace company Bombardier by name.
In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump justified his latest trade war escalation by accusing Ottawa of blocking the certification of a series of jets made by U.S.-based Gulfstream.
“Based on the fact that Canada has wrongfully, illegally and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700 and 800 Jets, one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes ever made, we are hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified,” the president wrote.
“Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same certification process. If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50% Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America.”
It is unclear what he means by “decertifying” the planes, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), run by a Trump appointee, is responsible for certifying aircraft to operate in U.S. airspace.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, saying, ‘If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.’ This tariff threat comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a speech widely perceived as pushback for U.S. actions.
A number of Gulfstream’s jets — including the G450, G350, GV, G550 and G500 — have been certified by Transport Canada to some degree, according to the company’s website.
Canadian-based Bombardier and Gulfstream are currently heavy competitors in the business jet market.
Trump also targeted the Canadian company during his first term, slapping a near 300 per cent tariff on Bombardier’s C Series. That model, now known as the A220, was later sold to Airbus.
Beyond Bombardier, De Havilland Canada and Airbus both have manufacturing plants in Canada and could be subject to tariffs if Trump follows through on his threats.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented on U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s relationship after Carney’s headline-grabbing speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He told CNBC’s Sara Eisen ‘I would not pick a fight going into USMCA to score some cheap political points.’
