Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier warned that President Donald Trump’s threat to decertify Canadian-made jets and impose a 50% tariff could have a “significant impact on air traffic and the flying public.”
The dispute began after Trump took to his social media Truth Social, to accuse Canada of “wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refusing to certify” US-made Gulfstream business jets. Trump threatened to decertify Bombardier aircraft in the United States and impose a 50% tariff on “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.”
This move would hit the Quebec-based manufacturer, one of Gulfstream’s main competitors in the industry, directly.
Canada’s Transport Minister, Steven MacKinnon, responded on X that he had spoken with Bombardier’s CEO, Éric Martel, as well as with senior leadership at Gulfstream’s parent company, General Dynamics. He assured them that “Canada’s aviation industry is safe and reliable. We will stand behind it.”
Bombardier stressed that thousands of its private and regional jets, built in Canada, operate daily in US airspace, and warned that disruption would affect passengers and operators alike. The company added that its facilities and technicians are fully certified to US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards, supporting thousands of jobs in the US through its facilities and suppliers.
This escalation follows Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, in which he warned that “middle powers” such as Canada must resist economic coercion by larger states. Trump later mocked these remarks on social media, but Carney insisted that Canada would not compromise on aviation safety standards under political pressure.
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Experts have questioned whether unilateral decertification would even be legal, as aircraft certification normally follows bilateral regulatory agreements rather than political decisions. Decertification would effectively prevent aircraft from operating under international safety standards, halting new deliveries and sales.
A White House official later told US media that the threat would apply only to future aircraft deliveries, not to planes already in service.
Aviation specialists also dispute claims that Canada is unlawfully blocking the certification of Gulfstream aircraft. John Gradek, an aviation expert at McGill University, notes that the Gulfstream 500 and 600 models are already certified in Canada, while newer models such as the 700 and 800 are still undergoing the approval process.
Bombardier responds to Trump: 'Noted post, contacting Canadian gov, US jobs huge (3k+ direct, 2,800 suppliers), FAA-certified, expanding in Indiana…Canadian company, but CRJ program sold to Japan Mitsubishi 2020, but company HQ Montreal.. pic.twitter.com/oelS6c49Qj
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“It’s not illegal for Canada to review aircraft on its own merits,” Gradek said, adding that regulators simply need to ensure that aircraft are safe for Canadian passengers.
Certification expert Nigel Waterhouse says the dispute centres on the fuel system designed by Gulfstream to mitigate icing risks. While the aircraft are operating under temporary permits, full compliance testing has not yet been completed. The FAA has granted Gulfstream a temporary exemption from the icing issue, which is valid until late 2026. This means that Transport Canada considers certification to be pending rather than denied.
“They’re not refusing certification,” Waterhouse explains. “They’re waiting for Gulfstream and the FAA to complete the remaining work.”
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Voices in the industry warn that politicising aviation safety could undermine a system built on international cooperation. The IAM Union added that US airlines could also be affected, since carriers such as American Airlines and Delta rely on Canadian-built regional aircraft, while the US remains the world’s largest business aviation market.
Following the announcement, Bombardier shares fell by around 9%, reflecting investor concern that the regulatory dispute has now escalated into a political and trade confrontation with potential consequences on both sides of the border.
