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.
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Decertifying Bombadier planes will cripple American civil aviation as there are a metric shit-ton of Dash 8/Q-400 planes doing regional runs, let alone the #2 maker of corporate jets with the Global Express line.
As for certifying Gulfstream, I’ve read but haven’t yet been able to confirm that several planes have been certified, some Gulfstreams haven’t been done in Canada because of insufficient de-icing capabilities.
Trump will cause more aviation accidents, certifying planes that can’t de-ice, due to political pressure will cost lives.
Bad time to fly gents.
Presumably certifying those dodgy American planes doesn’t mean anyone in Canada has to actually buy them. Maybe Canada could put an asterisk and a footnote on the certificate. Or better, just call Trump’s bluff and let him deal with all the US companies running Bombardier planes.
At this point, who cares if it’s a bluff? We need to repurpose Bombardier manufacturing to make Grippens and what our allies need both civil and militarily. Same with autos.
Yes, but we also have to find a way to ensure Bombardier improves. The shit they pull off…
You’re forgetting the ~600 CRJs that are the backbone of the US regional fleets.
They will all throw those Bombardiers away and buy a bunch of Boeings, for sure.
/s, but I feel it’s rather unnecessary.
“I’ll do it. I’ll shoot my own foot, don’t think I won’t!”
Let him. If a lot of businesses fail due to this then that is the cost of freedom. Brother, can you spare an honourable potus?
