Sept. 7 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump lashed out at Canadian aerospace company Bombardier on Monday amid a deepening trade war with Canada, seemingly threatening to halt the sale of its planes in the United States.
“NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” Trump said on his Truth Social media platform, accusing the Montreal-based planemaker of benefiting from the U.S. market while wrongly claiming Canada blocks U.S. banks, companies and Gulfstream Aerospace from conducting business north of the border.
U.S. banks and companies operate in Canada, while Ottawa had delayed certifying four newer Gulfstream business jets, which were ultimately certified in February.
“Completely unjust and unfair! That Era is OVER!” Trump continued. “If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank.'” BUY AMERICAN. FLY ON AMERICAN AIRLINES. ENJOY AMERICAN LIQUOR AND BEVERAGES. SAIL ON LAKE AMERICA. AMERICA FIRST!”
Bombardier employs more than 3,000 people across nine facilities in the United States and said early this year that it was investing in expanding its U.S. operations.
Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas was quick to push back against Trump’s comments, saying Bombardier’s presence in Wichita supports a local workforce of thousands. Moran said in a statement on social media that he told Trump’s administration to let the president know “of the significant contributions of Bombardier to Kansas and the importance of its presence in Wichita to many Kansas workers at Bombardier and in the Bombardier supply chain.”
“Kansas is home to a hardworking, skilled workforce and I will continue welcoming leaders in aircraft and defense manufacturing to do business here in the Air Capital of the World,” he said.
Bombardier said in a statement Monday night that it creates tens of thousands of U.S. jobs through its growing American footprint and supply chain across 47 states.
“Bombardier values its great partnership with American companies and its U.S. employees,” it said.
“Our plan is to continue to invest in our people, our customers and the communities in which we operate across the country.”
Trump’s threat came as Canada was set to impose counter-tariffs starting Tuesday on $20 billion worth of goods imported from the United States. The retaliatory tariffs were imposed in response to Trump hitting Canadian exports with tariffs last month after the two sides failed to come to a trade deal.
Relations between the once close allies have drastically soured amid Trump’s second term, as his repeated commented about annexing Canada and making it the 51st state, as well as continual threats of tariffs, among other actions and insults, have prompted Ottawa to turn to Europe in search of stable economic and security relations.
The Canadian government of Prime Minister Mark Carney has sought to sever at least some of Ottawa’s ties with the United States and announced last week a multibillion-dollar deal to move production of cars for national railway VIA Rail from the United States to Canada.