GOP senator defends Bombardier after Trump threat

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is defending private jet maker Bombardier from growing pressure from President Trump, who on Monday declared the Canadian aerospace company would no longer be able to sell planes in the United States.

Moran, the senior Republican senator from Kansas, pointed out that Bombardier is a major employer in his home state, which currently features a competitive Senate race between Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton.

“This afternoon, I reached out to the Trump administration to make certain the President is aware of the significant contributions of Bombardier to Kansas and the importance of its presence in Wichita to many Kansas workers at Bombardier and in the Bombardier supply chain. I will continue working to see that Bombardier’s manufacturing operations not only remain in Kansas but continue to grow and create American jobs,” Moran posted on X, the social media platform, on Sunday.

Moran said Bombardier’s presence in Wichita supports a local workforce “of more than a thousand employees.”

“Kansas is home to a hardworking, skilled workforce, and I will continue welcoming leaders in aircraft and defense manufacturing to do business here in the Air Capital of the World,” he wrote.

Despite Moran’s defense, Trump on Monday declared that the U.S. market would be closed to Bombardier because he said Gulfstream, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, an American industrial and technology company, is blocked from doing business in Canada.

“NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES! Their products aren’t good enough! Over 50% of their revenue comes from the United States — They live off American Buyers, American Companies, American Airports, and American Service — All while Canada blocks our GREAT American Banks, and Companies, throughout the U.S.A.,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“They even blocked Gulfstream Aerospace from doing business in Canada — Completely unjust and unfair!” Trump wrote.

Bombardier said in a statement Monday that its manufacturing operations create “tens of thousands of US jobs” through what it called an “American footprint.”

“Bombardier values its great partnership with American companies and its US employees,” the company said. “Our plan is to continue to invest in our people, our customers and the communities in which we operate across the country.”

The Canadian company’s supply chain includes more than 2,800 companies across the United States.

Trump’s threat to ban Bombardier from selling jets in the United States comes amid an escalating trade battle that has prompted strong pushback from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $27.6 billion in American products took effect Tuesday. That followed the Trump administration’s 50 percent tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian imports taking effect last month, and Trump’s threats to tariff imported cars, trucks, auto parts and steel starting next year.