Trump Threatens Bombardier Sales Unless Planes Are Made in the U.S.

Tariffs escalate across border

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the Trump administration to “stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough,” as the US-Canada trade fight escalated after talks collapsed Aug. 21.

Carney said the United States was pursuing terms that could leave Canadian industries “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out,” and he warned Washington sought an “uncompetitive” deal for key industries including autos.

The dispute intensified after Trump announced he would add 50% tariffs to many Canadian goods, while Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs on many US goods starting Sept. 8.

ABC News reported that retaliatory tariffs issued by Canada hit some imports from the United States at one minute after midnight Eastern Time on Tuesday, with levies as high as 50% applying to hundreds of US products ranging from aluminum foil to raincoats to cheese.

In parallel, Trump threatened to bar the sale of planes made by Canada-based aerospace company Bombardier unless the firm agreed to manufacture products in the U.S., as Carney’s government said Canada would continue referring to the lake as “Lake Ontario.”

Reporting for this sectionABC News

Carney, Ford trade barbs

Ontario Premier Doug Ford told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz that a trade war would be “devastating” for US and Canada, adding, “Everyone's feeling bullied by President Trump, and this is the worst thing you could do for the American economy.”

Ford also called Trump’s renaming of Lake Ontario “disappointing,” saying it was “like something out of 'Saturday Night Live' when he signed documents saying change to Lake America.”

Carney’s pushback came after Washington’s new barrage included Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” and social media posts taunting Canada, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Canada could not go “tit for tat” with a U.S. economy 13 times larger.

Carney accused the United States of pursuing terms that would leave Canadian industries “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out,” and he said Washington’s approach would have left Canadian industries effectively as subsidiaries of American companies.

Carney also said Canada is a sovereign state and rejected the idea of accepting terms, saying, “We’re not going to — of course, we’re not going to accept those terms,” as he tied his position to French-language and cultural protections.

Reporting for this sectionABC News

Bombardier threat and fallout

As Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods took effect, Al Jazeera reported that tariffs ranging from 15 percent to 50 percent would apply to nearly $20bn worth of US imports, starting at 12:01am Eastern Time on Tuesday. Al Jazeera also said the US issued presidential actions later on Tuesday, including banning the import of many Canadian dairy products, motorcycles and alcoholic beverages starting on September 29, as the dispute continued to escalate. Trump’s pressure on Bombardier intensified the stakes, with Al Jazeera quoting him: “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” unless the company began manufacturing in the United States.

In response, Carney called on Canadians to hold firm in a video shared on social media, saying, “We have everything we need to pivot and prosper,” while adding that “That pivot will come at a cost.” The dispute’s consequences also reached domestic politics and business planning, with ABC News noting Carney was buoyed by Monday's Liberal sweep of three special elections, bringing the Liberals to 173 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons as he confronted Trump over trade and Canadian sovereignty.

Reporting for this sectionAl JazeeraABC News