President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier was investing $270 million in the United States, days after he dropped the threat to ban the company from the U.S. market.
Trump said Bombardier’s investment would create thousands of jobs in Kansas, Texas, and Indiana.
The company employs 1,500 people in Wichita, Kansas. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), facing a strong challenge from Democrat Adam Hamilton in the midterms, stated on X that he has lobbied Trump on the issue.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump credited Marshall and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton—who is up against Democrat James Talarico for a Senate seat in the Lone Star State on Nov. 3—with their work on the deal.
‘Incredible Job’: Trump
“Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas has done an incredible job in representing his Great State!” Trump wrote on social media.
“Because of him, working together with the Trump Administration, Bombardier is investing 270 MILLION DOLLARS, creating THOUSANDS of American Jobs in Kansas, Texas, and Indiana.
“Senator Marshall, together with Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas, has done an incredible job in getting this Deal done.”
Bombardier announced a $50 million investment in its Wichita plant on Oct. 15.
On Friday, the company emailed The Epoch Times a statement confirming the $270 million investment, which it said is part of a strategy of “continuing to significantly enhance its American footprint.”
“The company plans to hire 800 people across America,” Bombardier said.
“Today, Bombardier is actively recruiting for 500 positions across the country and plans to create an additional 300 jobs through footprint expansion projects.”
“This new wave of expansion and hiring reflects our long-term confidence in this market and our employees in America,” said Bombardier’s president and CEO, Eric Martel.
Bombardier said it would hire staff in Connecticut, as well as Kansas, Texas, and Indiana.
Speaking at a GOP rally in Wichita on Monday, Trump said he had received a phone call from Marshall and would subsequently be “helping a certain air company get themselves straightened away.”
“I’ll be helping them, because I always viewed them as a Canadian company—you know what I’m talking about—but now we find out they have a presence here,” Trump said.
“And we’re not hurting them if they’re in Kansas. So we’ll take care of those people and the jobs.”
Last week, Bombardier announced it was building a North American Learning Center, committing to “developing talent, enhancing capabilities and supporting the long-term growth of its Kansas operations.”
‘Commitment to Wichita’s Future’
“Wichita has long been an important part of Bombardier’s story, and we continue to see tremendous opportunity for the site,” Bombardier’s executive vice president, Paul Sislian, said.
“This commitment to Wichita’s future will deepen the expertise and capabilities that will allow us to deliver an even stronger experience for our customers, while positioning the site for continued growth.”
Bombardier is also planning to build a service center in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Trump had announced on Sept. 7 that he would ban the sale of Bombardier aircraft in the United States unless the Quebec-based company began building them there. His comments came a day before Canada’s 15 percent to 50 percent countertariffs on nearly $20 billion worth of American products took effect.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said more than 50 percent of Bombardier’s revenue came from the United States, while accusing Ottawa of blocking U.S.-based Gulfstream Aerospace from doing business in Canada.
Trump threatened to decertify the Canadian-made Bombardier Global Express and “all Aircraft made in Canada” in response to what he described as Canada’s refusal to certify several models of U.S.-made Gulfstream jets.
Transport Canada later approved the Gulfstream G700 and G800 jets.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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