President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that all Canadian-made aircraft will face decertification and could be subject to a 50% import tariff, escalating a cross-border dispute that could impact airlines and investors. The move, described as retaliatory, stems from Canada’s refusal to certify jets produced by U.S.-based Gulfstream Aerospace.
Trump stated that Canada has declined to approve the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700, and 800 jets for operation in the northern nation, prompting his retaliation on Canadian aircraft.
Trump signaled that unless Canada reverses its decision, the U.S. would remove certification for all Canadian planes, including those manufactured by Bombardier, the country’s largest aircraft producer. Speaking via social media, Trump declared plans to immediately decertify Bombardier Global Express jets, which aviation data firm Cirium counts as 150 registered and in operation with 115 operators across the United States.
A decision to ground Canadian-manufactured jets would generate disruption throughout U.S. aviation. Bombardier’s aircraft includes CRJ regional models, which play a central role in domestic feeder flights operated by regional partners for United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines. This network is vital for transporting passengers from small airports to major hubs.
The announcement leaves questions about Trump’s legal authority to enforce decertification or tariffs, as no executive orders or formal processes have been set out by the White House. Additionally, there has been no indication of how or when such certification changes would be enacted.
This development follows earlier threats by Trump to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian imports in response to Canada’s trade agreements with China, though those previous statements were also lacking in specific implementation details.
