Trump says Bombardier must build in US to keep selling amid tariffs

Trump warns Bombardier to move production to US to retain market access

US President Donald Trump said Canadian aerospace firm Bombardier must manufacture in the United States if it wants to continue selling there, in a post on Truth Social on Monday that coincided with impending Canadian retaliatory tariffs.

Trump wrote that Bombardier should “build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank,'” and added that the company can no longer sell in the US unless production is moved to American soil.

Bombardier already operates a factory in Kansas that builds special mission military aircraft and employs 3,500 American workers, and about half of its fleet—5,100 aircraft—is operated by customers based in the United States.

The company builds jets at facilities in Canada, the US and Mexico and operates under the North American free trade agreement now known as USMCA/CUSMA, according to its website.

A report commissioned by Bombardier stated the company contributed C$7.4bn to Canada’s GDP in 2024 and is a major employer in Quebec’s manufacturing sector.

Quebec premier Christine Fréchette posted on X that Bombardier is “a source of pride” and said she contacted CEO Éric Martel offering the provincial government’s full support, asserting that Quebec will not let external parties dictate where its companies must produce to access a market.

Trade talks between Canada and the US collapsed last month after Canada left negotiations; the US subsequently imposed 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, and Canada prepared retaliatory tariffs on US products valued at $20bn.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The president’s statement frames market access as conditional on domestic production, emphasizing a demand that Bombardier relocate manufacturing to the United States. Bombardier’s existing US operations and its economic contribution in Canada are noted in official and provincial responses. The exchange occurs in the context of stalled bilateral trade talks and reciprocal tariffs between the two countries.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• President Trump demanded Bombardier move production to the US to continue selling there.
• Bombardier already employs 3,500 workers in Kansas and has about 5,100 aircraft with US-based operators.
• Company builds jets in Canada, the US and Mexico and operates under USMCA/CUSMA.