Trump to Decertify Bombardier Global Express Over Gulfstream Dispute

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States is moving to decertify Bombardier Global Express business jets. The declaration serves as the opening salvo in a high-stakes standoff over international aviation approvals, with the President further threatening a 50% import tariff on all Canadian-made aircraft if Ottawa does not immediately greenlight several models from U.S. competitor Gulfstream.

According to the President, Canada has leveraged its regulatory process to unfairly box out American products, specifically targeting the newest fleet from Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace.

The Certification Blockade

At the heart of the dispute are the Gulfstream G500, G600, G700, and G800 jets. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified the G800 as recently as last April, Transport Canada has yet to follow suit. President Trump characterized this delay as an illegal prohibition of American sales.

In retaliation, the U.S. administration is targeting Bombardier’s premier franchise. This is a significant pivot from traditional aviation norms, where "decertification" is typically a safety-driven measure rather than a trade weapon.

From the Desk of the President: 

"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. 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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" — Donald J. Trump

Economic and Regulatory Fallout

The potential impact of these measures is vast, given the integrated nature of North American aviation. Industry data highlights the scale of the Canadian presence in U.S. skies:

• Fleet Impact: According to CNBC, there are currently 150 Bombardier Global Express aircraft registered and operating in the U.S. across 115 different operators.
• Daily Operations: According to FlightRadar24, approximately 400 Canadian-made planes were tracked operating to or from U.S. airports in a single 24-hour window this week.
• Uncertain Scope: It remains unclear if the 50% tariff would extend to the Airbus A220, a commercial mainstay produced in Canada, which would significantly disrupt domestic airline supply chains.

Typically, the "State of Design" (the U.S. for Gulfstream) issues the primary safety certificate, which other nations then validate. However, since the Boeing 737 Max crisis, international regulators have become increasingly assertive, often demanding independent data before granting approval. This is a trend that appears to be fueling the current diplomatic fire.

Trump vs. Carney

The timing of the threat coincides with deepening personal and political tensions between President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Earlier this week, Carney urged nations to prepare for the "end of the rules-based global order," a sentiment that reportedly irritated the White House.

While the FAA has previously certified Bombardier’s record-breaking Global 8000 (the fastest civilian plane since the Concorde with a top speed of Mach 0.95), the future of that certification now hangs in the balance of this trade war. For now, Gulfstream, Bombardier, and the Prime Minister’s office have remained silent as the industry waits to see if the FAA will formally execute the President's directive.