Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) is pushing back against President Trump's threat to bar Bombardier from selling jets in the United States, citing the company's significant footprint in his home state. In a social media post on Sunday, Moran said he had contacted the Trump administration to highlight Bombardier's contributions to Kansas, particularly in Wichita, where the company employs more than a thousand workers.
"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," Moran wrote on X. "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's defense comes as Trump declared on Monday that the U.S. market would be closed to Bombardier, arguing that Gulfstream, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, is unfairly barred from operating in Canada. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: "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 also accused Canada of blocking Gulfstream from doing business there, calling it "Completely unjust and unfair!" The president's threat escalates an ongoing trade dispute that has already triggered retaliatory tariffs from both sides.
Bombardier responded with a statement emphasizing its American operations. "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 company noted that its supply chain includes more than 2,800 U.S. companies, supporting tens of thousands of American jobs.
The trade tensions have drawn sharp criticism from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has implemented retaliatory tariffs on Canadian imports. Canada's latest round of tariffs, covering $27.6 billion in American products, took effect Tuesday. This follows the Trump administration's 50 percent tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian imports last month, with additional threats to target cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel next year.
Moran's intervention highlights the political stakes in Kansas, where the Senate race between Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton is heating up. Bombardier's presence in Wichita—long known as the "Air Capital of the World"—makes the company's fate a local economic and political issue.
"Kansas is home to a hardworking, skilled workforce, and I will continue welcoming leaders in aircraft and defense manufacturing to do business here," Moran wrote. His remarks underscore the tension between Trump's hardline trade posture and the interests of Republican lawmakers in states that rely on cross-border manufacturing ties.
The dispute also echoes broader friction over trade policy, with Trump's recent provocations toward Canada drawing international attention. As the trade war escalates, Bombardier's future in the U.S. market remains uncertain, but Moran's defense signals that some Republicans are wary of collateral damage to domestic jobs.
