Trump threatens aircraft tariffs on Canada

Washington: US President Donald Trump threatened sweeping trade penalties against Canada, accusing Ottawa of blocking US-made aircraft and warning of steep tariffs if the dispute is not resolved immediately.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Canada had “wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly refused to certify the Gulfstream 500, 600, 700, and 800 Jets,” describing them as “one of the greatest, most technologically advanced airplanes ever made.”

He said the United States would respond by decertifying Canadian aircraft. “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,” Trump wrote.

The president also accused Canada of blocking US sales through regulatory means. “Further, Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same certification process,” he said.

Trump warned that tariffs would follow if the issue is not fixed. “If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50 per cent Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America,” he added.

The comments triggered immediate criticism from Democrats, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, who has accused the president of recklessly using tariffs against close allies.

Gillibrand demanded that Trump halt what she described as illegal tariff threats. She said the president had recently threatened to impose “100 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods,” along with a 25 per cent tariff on South Korean goods. She also cited an earlier warning by Trump of a 10 per cent tariff on NATO countries unless the United States was given Greenland.

“As the president continues to recklessly and haphazardly threaten countries with tariffs, working New Yorkers and small businesses are paying the price,” Gillibrand said.

She warned that a sharp escalation against Canada would directly hurt her state. “If the president follows through on his latest threat to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, New Yorkers will suffer,” she said. “From fertilizer to electricity to car parts, Upstate New Yorkers rely heavily on Canadian products.”

Gillibrand said higher tariffs would worsen inflation pressures. “At a time when prices are already soaring, working families shouldn’t have to pay more for what they need,” she said. “I’m demanding that President Trump halt his illegal actions, and I will do everything in my power to hold the president accountable for the hardship he’s causing for New Yorkers.”

Trump last year imposed tariffs on more than 90 countries, including a 35 per cent tariff on certain Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy, energy resources and potash. Those measures, she said, increased costs for New York households by an estimated $4,200.

Gillibrand said she has opposed Trump’s tariff policy since the start of his administration. Last year, she joined 14 senators in introducing the Small Business RELIEF Act to end what she called a tariff tax and refund duties paid by small businesses. She also signed a legal brief with 206 members of Congress arguing before the Supreme Court that the tariffs are illegal.

Canada is one of the United States’ largest trading partners, with deeply integrated supply chains spanning energy, manufacturing and aviation. Aircraft certification disputes between regulators can have significant commercial and diplomatic consequences.

–IANS