> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.borealian.ca/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Bombardier and the midterms: Trump drops a sales-ban threat - URL: https://www.borealian.ca/bombardier-trump-threat-dropped/ - Published: 2026-10-26T13:21:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-02T14:23:31.000Z - Description: At a Kansas rally, Trump said he would drop restrictions on Bombardier. The reversal came 15 days before the U.S. midterm elections. - Author: Beaverbrook - Tags: Business & Markets, Trade, United States, Aerospace U.S. President Donald Trump told a campaign rally near Wichita, Kan., on Oct. 19 that he would help "a certain air company," dropping his September threat to bar Bombardier's sales in the United States. Speaking at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City, Trump credited a phone call from Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas. "And because of Roger and his phone call to me, I'm going to be helping a certain air company get themselves straightened away," he said, according to a transcript of the rally. Later that day, Trump named the company in an interview with KWCH 12 News in Kansas, where he said, as [reported by Reuters](https://globalnews.ca/news/12109639/trump-drops-bombardier-threat/?ref=borealian.ca), "We're going to take care of Bombardier." The threat had stood for 42 days. On Sept. 7, Trump posted "NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!" and said the company must "build here, and stop treating America like a 'piggybank'" to keep its access, as [quoted by The Canadian Press](https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/trump-bombardier-threat-9.7389332?ref=borealian.ca). The rally came 15 days before the Nov. 3 midterms. Kansas is shaping up to be a battleground state for the Senate race. CP reports that polls show Marshall running neck and neck with Democrat Adam Hamilton, with Hamilton taking a 3-point lead in recent polls. Reuters says the threat "became a political issue in Kansas." Bombardier employs 1,500 people in Wichita and about 3,500 across the United States. With momentum shifting towards the Democrats, Trump is heeling his protectionist stance in an attempt to recapture voters seeking a return to normalcy. He said he "always viewed them as a Canadian company." "But now I find out they have a presence here, and we're not hurting them if they're in Kansas. So we'll take care of those people, alright, and the jobs." The change reinforces how much of Trump policy is based on knee-jerk reactions and limited data. Bombardier acquired Learjet in 1990 and set up its U.S. headquarters in Kansas, and Wichita is the base of its defence division. After the September post, Bombardier stressed that it pays more than US$2.5 billion a year to about 2,800 U.S. suppliers in 47 states. Last week it opened a technician training centre in Wichita, part of a US$50-million investment there. In a statement to CBC News on Oct. 20, it said its "recently announced investments and newly inaugurated North American Learning Center will support high-skilled jobs for many years to come." Analysts cited by CP say most Bombardier jets carry at least 40 per cent U.S. content. More than half the value of the Global 7500 comes from U.S. parts. Bombardier's Class B shares closed at C$325.32 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Oct. 20, up 4.4 per cent, according to [TMX Money](https://money.tmx.com/en/quote/BBD.B?ref=borealian.ca). James McGarragle, an analyst at RBC Dominion Securities, called the reversal "positive for sentiment as it alleviates an important headline overhang for investors." He also said the threat had no "tangible impact" on U.S. demand over the past six weeks. More than half of Bombardier's revenue comes from U.S. customers, according to CP. A sustained sales ban would have put that share at risk. Earlier in 2026, Trump threatened to decertify Bombardier aircraft and impose a 50 per cent tariff in a dispute over Transport Canada's certification of Gulfstream jets. Transport Canada later approved the Gulfstream jets, nullifying any follow-up from the threat. The exemption also stands out against the wider dispute. When the United States banned a range of Canadian alcohol, motorcycles and dairy products effective Sept. 29, it took no action against Bombardier, Reuters reported. Firms with a large American footprint seem to be getting gentler treatment than those selling from Canada alone. No Canadian government statement on the Oct. 19 reversal has been reported. Earlier, Secretary of State for Defence Procurement Stephen Fuhr said Bombardier "employs tens of thousands of people in the United States." Donald Trump's Republicans seem to be paying the price for these whirlwind course corrections and persistent policy uncertainty. The year started with Democrats trailing Republicans by 4 points, according to poll aggregator [Race to the White House](https://www.racetothewh.com/polls/genericballot?ref=borealian.ca). That's now flipped, and Democrats are leading Republicans by 9\. Nov. 3 may be a watershed moment for trade relations with Canada and the US. If Republicans are badly beaten, we could perhaps see a return to normal for cross-border trade. We may also begin to see more reversals like the Bombardier decision. Until then, congratulations to Bombardier.