Skip to Content Subscribe My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Modern Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Modern Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanadaTrump says his threat to tariff Canadian aircraft started from a conversation with a wealthy friendThe unprompted remark appeared to be a glimpse into what was behind his threat to tariff Canadian aircraft by 50 per cent back in JanuaryLast updated 5 days ago U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with travel industry executives in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Sept. 2, 2026. Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty ImagesU.S. President Donald Trump said 50 per cent tariffs targeting Canada’s aircraft industry was prompted by a complaint from a friend who couldn’t buy the corporate jet of his choosing.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorTrump made the remark during a six-minute-long rant about Canada in the Oval Office on Wednesday.“I had a case about a week ago, where a friend of mine was buying a Gulfstream jet, and he said, ‘You know, it’s a crazy thing. We’re not able — that Canada won’t certify Gulfstream,’” Trump said.“Gulfstream is the best private jet, you know, the best of the best,” he noted, adding that Canada “won’t certify it because they make a competitor, Bombardier Global Express.”Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe unprompted remark appeared to be a glimpse into what was behind his threat to decertify Canadian-made aircraft and impose 50 per cent tariff on sales back in January.The friend was close to Gulfstream, Trump said, and had asked the head of the company to arrange a call with him and explain the situation.“We called, we spoke,” he said, adding that the head of Gulfstream told him the American manufacturer had spent $60 million trying to get certified in Canada for “nine years without success.”“So I immediately said, ‘I’m putting a major tariff on Bombardier and other things that they sent until they’re certified,'” Trump said.“They got certified in two hours.”He had spoken to the prime minister, Trump said, without naming Mark Carney directly.“Essentially (Gulfstream) can’t sell any plane in anything having to do with Canada, but Bombardier has free rein over the United States,” Trump said, while noting they were both “very good planes.”“I said, ‘So what we’re going to do is, we’re going to charge you tariffs on various products, including Bombardier,’” he added. “We put a nice big tariff. And within 30 minutes, I guess it took maybe less, everything got certified.”In February, Transport Canada granted regulatory approval to two business jets produced by Gulfstream. It came nearly four weeks after Trump had threatened to decertify Bombardier and impose 50 per cent tariffs on all aircraft sold by Canada to the United States.Trump’s anecdote was part of a litany of complaints he had about Canada’s trade practices amid a trade war between the two countries covering roughly 5 per cent of Canadian exports. Trump was answering a question on his plans to renew trade talks with Ottawa.In his response, Trump said the U.S. does not need “anything” from Canada, adding that its leaders were “emboldened,” and was “toughest” to deal with. The remarks were made during a meeting with travel executives to mark the end of the summer season.“We can’t lose 60 to $100 billion dollars for the privilege of allowing them to make cars; we don’t want their cars,” Trump added. However, in reality, the U.S. runs a trade surplus with Canada in the auto sector, according to RBC.Trump also seemingly voiced displeasure at Doug Ford, who he referred to as a “slob” without naming the Ontario premier directly.He also repeated an unfounded claim that Canada barred U.S. banks from operating within its borders. ”I think they have six or seven major banks here, (but) we don’t have our banks there,” Trump said.That assertion has been contradicted by the Canadian Bankers Association, which pointed out in 2025 that 16 U.S. based bank subsidiaries and branches operate in Canada.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.