Bombardier warns thousands of flights – and workers – could be hit by Trump’s aircraft threat
U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to “decertify” Canadian‑made aircraft and threaten steep tariffs on planes sold into the United States is casting a shadow over an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs and a network of employers on both sides of the border.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump alleged that “Canada has wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700, and 800 Jets.”
He said the United States is “hereby decertifying their Bombardier Global Expresses, and all Aircraft made in Canada, until such time as Gulfstream, a Great American Company, is fully certified, as it should have been many years ago.”
Trump added that “if, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected,” he will impose a “50% Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America.”
Bombardier cites risks for travellers and jobs
Labour Minister Jean Boulet wrote on X that Trump's threats raise "serious concerns," according to the CBC. In a post on X, he said the remarks from the U.S. president are raising "serious concerns."
Bombardier employs more than 10,000 workers in Quebec, said Boulet: "Quebec will remain vigilant and fully mobilized to defend its businesses, its jobs, and the integrity of commercial and regulatory rules."
The company has about 3,000 employees based in the U.S.,and the overall headcount in 2024 included more than 17,500 employees across North America, according to the CBC.
Bombardier and Gulfstream are head‑to‑head rivals in the ultra‑long‑range business jet market, with Bombardier’s Global series battling Gulfstream’s latest models for customers.
Bombardier responded by warning that Trump’s move could affect both air travel and employment linked to its aircraft. The Montreal‑based manufacturer said it is “warning of ‘significant impact to air traffic and the flying public’ from U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to decertify the company’s Global Express jets ‘and all aircraft made in Canada.’”
In the same statement, Bombardier said it had “taken note of the post from the President of the United States to social media and [is] in contact with the Canadian government."
The company added that “thousands of private and civilian jets built in Canada fly in the U.S. every day” and said, “We hope this is quickly resolved to avoid a significant impact to air traffic and the flying public.”
Potential job loss in aviation sector
Bombardier also emphasized its role as an employer and buyer in the U.S. market, saying that “thousands of U.S. jobs are on the line” and that it “employs more than 3,000 people in the U.S. across 9 major facilities, and creates thousands of U.S. jobs through 2,800 suppliers.”
The company said it is “actively investing” to expand its U.S. operations, including a recently announced project in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Canadian Press notes that under Trump’s threat, “all Canadian aircraft” would face decertification, including planes from Bombardier, which it describes as the country’s largest aircraft maker.
The same report says that if Trump cuts off access to the U.S. market, it “would be a major blow to the Quebec company,” highlighting the potential impact on Bombardier as an employer and anchor in Canada’s aerospace sector.
Threats 'jeopardize economic stability'
A White House official told Global News that the tariff threat “applies only to new planes and not the ones already in operation,” suggesting existing fleets could continue flying even if new deliveries are affected.
Industry voices have warned against turning the certification process itself into a bargaining chip, said the same report. The IAM Union, formerly the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said in a statement that “politicizing aircraft certification would set a dangerous global precedent, undermining international safety standards and putting the integrity of the aviation system at risk.”
The Canadian Press cited aviation management lecturer John Gradek of McGill University as saying that “certification is not trivial” and calling it “a very important step in getting planes to operate safely,” adding that “decertification for trade reasons does not happen.”
Earlier, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves‑François Blanchet warning in a Global News story that Trump’s threat “jeopardises economic stability and the air transport network of the entire continent on false grounds and potentially its safety,” in a statement calling on the U.S. administration to “abandon its threats” and consult U.S. and Canadian agencies and Bombardier.
