Quebec premier offers Bombardier support after Trump sales threat

President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to block Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier from selling in the United States unless the company moves production to American soil, hours before Canada was set to impose retaliatory tariffs on $20bn (£14.7) of US goods.

The mechanism by which Trump intends to enforce a ban on Bombardier sales is unclear, the BBC reported. Trump announced the threat in a Truth Social post on Monday, writing: “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! If they want our Market, they must build here, and stop treating America like a ‘piggybank.’”

Bombardier, the Montreal-based company, already operates a factory in the US state of Kansas that builds special mission military planes and employs 3,500 American workers, according to the BBC. About half of its fleet — 5,100 aircraft — is operated by Bombardier customers based in the US, the BBC reported. The company’s jets are built at facilities in Canada, the US and Mexico, according to the company’s website, and comply with the North American free trade agreement signed by Trump during his first term — known as CUSMA in Canada and the USMCA in the US. Bombardier contributed C$7.4bn ($5.4bn; £4bn) to Canada’s GDP in 2024, according to a report commissioned by the company. It is also one of the largest employers in Quebec’s manufacturing sector.

In a post on X on Monday, Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette called the company “a source of pride” for her province and “a flagship of our economy.” She added that she has reached out to Bombardier CEO Éric Martel and offered her government’s full support. On Trump’s threat, Fréchette wrote: “I will not respond to provocation with provocation. Quebec will not allow anyone to dictate where our companies must produce in order to access a market.” The BBC said it has contacted Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office and Bombardier for comment.

The Bombardier threat comes after trade talks between Canada and the US collapsed late last month. Canada walked away from the negotiating table, after which the US imposed new 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods. Carney accused the Trump administration of presenting last-minute terms that were “unfair” and “uneconomic,” while US officials accused him of refusing to sign a deal for political reasons because of Trump’s unpopularity in Canada — an accusation he denied.