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President Donald Trump on Thursday night threatened to impose a 50 percent tariff on any Canadian-made aircraft sold in the United States, escalating an already tense trade standoff between the two nations.
The warning comes days after the president suggested a 100 percent tariff on Canadian imports in response to Canada’s growing economic partnership with China.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump said the new threat is a response to Canada’s refusal to certify several aircraft models produced by U.S.-based Gulfstream Aerospace. He said the administration would move to decertify Canadian aircraft, including jets manufactured by Bombardier, unless Canada reverses course.
“Based on the fact that Canada has wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700, and 800 Jets, one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes ever made, 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,” President Trump wrote.
“Further, Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same certification process. 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,” he added.
The latest exchange follows comments last week by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he criticized what he described as economic coercion by larger countries against smaller ones, without naming President Trump.
President Trump said Sunday that Canada is “systematically destroying itself” through its growing strategic partnership with China, warning that the relationship threatens Canadian industry and economic sovereignty.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a video of Brian Kingston, chief executive of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, who argued that Canada should not allow the sale or domestic production of Chinese electric vehicles.
“A MUST WATCH. Canada is systematically destroying itself. The China deal is a disaster for them. Will go down as one of the worst deals, of any kind, in history. All their businesses are moving to the USA. I want to see Canada SURVIVE AND THRIVE!” President Trump wrote.