President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to block Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier from the U.S. market unless the company begins building its planes in America. The statement sent Bombardier's stock tumbling.
"NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!" Trump wrote on social media. "If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank.’"
Bombardier shares opened down 6.4% on the Toronto Stock Exchange and were recently trading down 3.7%. The company, based in Montreal, has a significant U.S. footprint, employing approximately 3,500 people and spending more than $2.5 billion annually with American suppliers. A crackdown could impact these U.S. operations.
Bombardier has been expanding its U.S. presence, opening a component plant in Moorpark, California, in 2025 and acquiring a maintenance facility in Delaware in February. The company has also designated its Wichita, Kansas, operation as its U.S. headquarters and established Bombardier Defense there, focusing on special-mission aircraft and engineering.
The company holds a substantial contract with the Pentagon through the Air Force's Battlefield Airborne Communications Node program. Its U.S. subsidiary received a contract worth up to $464.8 million for the conversion of up to six Global 6000 aircraft into E-11A communications platforms.
Following Trump's remarks, Bombardier stated its intention to continue investing in its American operations. "Our plan is to continue to invest in our people, our customers and the communities in which we operate across the country," the company said. Kansas is home to over 1,000 Bombardier employees, according to Sen. Jerry Moran, who contacted the Trump administration to highlight the company's importance to the state. Rep. Ron Estes, whose district includes Wichita, also expressed opposition to aerospace tariffs, noting Bombardier's support for the American supply chain and its role in critical national security missions.
Trump's ultimatum comes as trade disputes between the United States and Canada have intensified. On Tuesday, Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on approximately $20 billion of U.S. goods after trade negotiations failed last month. Officials from the White House have not yet commented on the latest development.