Canada Approves Gulfstream Jets After Trump Tariff Pressure

MONTREAL (Azat TV) – Transport Canada has approved the latest Gulfstream G700 and G800 business jets, concluding a period of intense trade pressure from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened tariffs and decertification of Canadian aircraft over the delay. The certification, confirmed Tuesday, also proceeds despite lingering de-icing concerns flagged by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Canadian regulators officially certified the American company’s G700 and G800 private planes on Monday, February 23, 2026, according to a Transport Canada database. This followed the green-lighting of two older Gulfstream models, the G500 and G600, approximately a week prior. Marie-Justine Torres, a spokeswoman for Canada’s transport minister, confirmed the certification on Tuesday.

Canadian Approval Follows Trump’s Tariff Threats

The decision by Transport Canada comes weeks after former U.S. President Donald Trump issued explicit tariff threats and warnings of decertification regarding Canadian-built planes. Last month, Trump had publicly stated his intention to retaliate against Canada for its refusal to certify jets from Savannah, Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace. He threatened to impose a 50% tariff on all Canadian aircraft sold into the United States and to decertify all Canadian-made planes, including those from Bombardier Inc., Canada’s largest aircraft maker.

Trump’s threats escalated trade tensions between Canada and the United States, targeting Bombardier, a direct rival to Gulfstream in the market for large business jets. Aviation experts, such as John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, noted that politicizing aircraft certification for trade reasons would be unprecedented and could undermine safety standards.

Lingering Safety Concerns for Gulfstream Jets

The approval from Transport Canada was granted despite existing de-icing concerns flagged by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA had granted the G700 and G800 conditional certification in 2024, requiring Gulfstream, which is owned by General Dynamics, to resolve issues related to the potential formation of ice in the fuel system. Gulfstream has until the end of this year to demonstrate that the two plane types function properly under such conditions, the FAA stated.

Under global aviation regulations, the country where an aircraft is designed, in this case the U.S., is responsible for the primary ‘type certificate’ that vouches for the design’s safety. Other nations typically validate this primary certification but maintain the right to refuse or request additional data if concerns arise.

Broader U.S.-Canada Aviation Tensions

The dispute over Gulfstream’s certification highlighted the competitive landscape between Gulfstream and Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, whose Global series aircraft compete directly with Gulfstream’s latest models. Trump’s aggressive stance was widely seen as an attempt to leverage trade policy to benefit a U.S. company over its Canadian rival, raising alarms among those who argue that aviation safety decisions should remain free from political influence, as Reuters reported.

The Canadian certification of Gulfstream’s G700 and G800 jets effectively de-escalates a significant trade dispute that threatened broader economic repercussions between the U.S. and Canada, while simultaneously bringing into focus the delicate balance between political pressure and the independent assessment of aviation safety standards.