10
Loading video...
By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
President Donald Trump has threatened to stop Bombardier from selling aircraft in the United States unless the Canadian company builds them on American soil, putting a brand associated with some of the world’s best-known entertainers at the center of his widening trade dispute with Canada.
Some of the most prominent names linked to the aircraft manufacturer include Kylie Jenner, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Dwayne Johnson, and Kid Rock, according to CelebPlanes.com.
Trump’s warning comes as Canadian retaliatory tariffs take effect, opening another front in a confrontation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that has already disrupted trade across the border. Any restriction could affect future purchases and deliveries for wealthy buyers, while also affecting Bombardier employees, operators and a U.S. supply chain spanning thousands of companies.
Read More on News
Newsweek reached out to Bombardier via a contact form on its website and the White House via email for comment.
...
Why It Matters
Bombardier aircraft have become status symbols for celebrities, but the company also has an extensive industrial footprint in the U.S.
Bombardier says its U.S. supply chain includes about 2,800 companies across 47 states, and the manufacturer spends more than $2.5 billion with suppliers each year. That gives Trump’s demand potential consequences for American aerospace businesses and wealthy jet users.
Which Celebrities Are Linked to Bombardier Jets?
Celebrity Private Jet Tracker and Celebplanes associate the following public figures with Bombardier models using publicly available aviation records and flight data.
- Barry Diller
- Beyoncé and Jay-Z
- Dwayne Johnson
- Elton John
- John Travolta
- Kid Rock
- Kylie Jenner
- Mark Cuban
- Mark Wahlberg
- Matt Damon
- Tom Cruise
...
Newsweek reached out to representatives for the celebrities listed above for comment via email.
Bombardier’s Global 7500, which Celebplanes associates with Jenner, Johnson, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z, has a listed range of 7,700 nautical miles, room for up to 19 passengers and an indicative new price of $78 million before customization.
Celebrity Private Jet Tracker also links Damon to a Global 7500, Cruise to a Challenger 350 and Kid Rock to a Challenger 600. Diller, John, Cuban and Wahlberg are listed in connection with Global Express aircraft.
The database estimates model prices ranging from about $4 million for some Challenger 600 jets to as much as $75 million for a Global 7500, depending on an aircraft’s age, condition and equipment.
These trackers associate these jets with the celebrities, although they do not confirm who legally owns the aircraft.
Bombardier’s U.S. Jobs Complicate Trump’s Threat
Monday’s warning revived a confrontation from January, when the president threatened to decertify Canadian-built aircraft and impose a 50 percent tariff unless Canadian regulators approved business jets made by U.S. rival Gulfstream. Neither action took effect, and Canada certified several Gulfstream models the following month.
No formal ban had been announced alongside the latest post, leaving unanswered how such a restriction would be imposed or whether it would cover existing aircraft, maintenance operations and future deliveries.
Bombardier responded by emphasizing its ties to the United States.
In a September 7 statement, the company said it has workers at sites in Kansas, Texas, Arizona, Florida, Connecticut, Illinois, Delaware, California, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, with direct employment in more than 20 states.
...
Its supply chain includes approximately 2,800 American companies, on which Bombardier says it spends more than $2.5 billion annually.
The manufacturer added that its aircraft contain U.S.-made engines, avionics and other systems. Wings for one of its business jets are produced in Red Oak, Texas, while flight-control components are made near Los Angeles.
That domestic presence prompted Republican senator Jerry Moran of Kansas to appeal directly to the Trump administration.
Wichita hosts Bombardier’s U.S. headquarters and defense operations, making the dispute a jobs issue in a state that otherwise strongly supports the president.
Related Story
Republican Senator Makes Direct Appeal to Trump Over Bombardier Threat
What Happens Next
Trump's earlier threat faded after Canada approved the Gulfstream jets, but the broader trade conflict now gives both governments less room to quietly defuse the latest dispute.
Bombardier’s customers can consider aircraft made by competitors Gulfstream, Dassault or Embraer. Workers and suppliers have fewer easy alternatives, making the administration’s next move as important in Wichita and throughout the aerospace supply chain as it is on celebrity airport tarmacs.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Sam Wilson.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines