Donald Trump is once again escalating trade tensions with Canada, announcing he is moving to “decertify” all Canadian-built aircraft and threatening to impose a massive 50 percent tariff on any Canadian jets sold in the United States.
Trump posted the threat on Truth Social, claiming Canada has been “wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly” refusing to certify American-owned Gulfstream business jets, prohibiting their sale north of the border.
He stated: “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, as it should have been many years ago.”
He followed that up with an explicit threat, warning, “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.”
This whole situation is bizarre. As the Washington Post reported, the job of certifying aircraft falls to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and its administrator, Bryan Bedford, whom the president himself nominated. The process is designed to ensure safety, not to be wielded as a political trade weapon. It’s unclear exactly how Trump plans to execute a blanket “decertification.”
The sky gets further away
Companies like Delta and American Airlines rely heavily on Canadian-made Bombardier planes for their regional routes. Richard Aboulafia, an industry consultant, didn’t mince words about the potential disruption, stating that if the ban is limited only to Bombardier’s private jet, Global Express, it wouldn’t be too bad, “But if it’s all Canadian-made jets … the [U.S. air travel] system would be seriously impacted.”
This aircraft drama is just the latest move in the ongoing feud between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. It is just the latest in tariff threats that Trump has made after Carney received a standing ovation for a speech in Davos, where he encouraged middle powers and smaller countries to join forces against the volatility of Trump’s policies. Policies that economists are warning will harm the country in the long run.
Bombardier, which makes the Global Express private jet, quickly issued a statement stressing its massive U.S. presence as an employer and business. They really hope this gets sorted out fast to avoid a “significant impact to air traffic and the flying public,” especially since thousands of their planes fly here every day.
While Transport Canada has actually approved several older Gulfstream models, like the G550, it seems Trump isn’t satisfied. With threats of tariffs and the decertification of entire fleets, you can bet this trade war is going to keep escalating.
Published: Feb 2, 2026 07:51 am