Canada Approves Gulfstream Jets After Trump Trade Threat

Canadian aviation authorities have given approval to two Gulfstream business aircraft models following pressure from former President Trump. The certification comes after Trump threatened trade penalties against Canadian-made planes if Canada didn't approve the American jets.

Canadian aviation regulators have given their stamp of approval to two General Dynamics Gulfstream business aircraft models, according to government paperwork, ending a diplomatic dispute that involved threats from former President Donald Trump.

Transport Canada issued certification for the G500 and G600 business jets on February 15, according to a type certificate data sheet that had not been publicly disclosed before. The Federal Aviation Administration’s leader had predicted earlier this month that Canada would soon greenlight several Gulfstream aircraft that had been stuck in approval limbo for multiple years.

The approval follows Trump’s January social media threat to remove certification from Canadian-manufactured Bombardier Global Express business aircraft and impose 50% import duties on all Canadian-built planes. Trump demanded that Canada’s aviation authority approve several aircraft built by American competitor Gulfstream before lifting his threatened penalties.

Two additional Gulfstream models, the G700 and G800, remain awaiting Canadian certification approval.

The political pressure surrounding aircraft certification troubled aviation industry professionals, who emphasized that airplane approvals should focus solely on safety considerations without political interference.

International aviation protocols establish that the nation where aircraft are developed – in this case, the United States for Gulfstream planes – holds primary responsibility for initial safety certification through a type certificate process that validates the aircraft’s design safety.

While other nations generally accept the primary regulator’s determination, they maintain authority to reject certification or request additional safety information.