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Trump escalates trade dispute with Canada over aircraft certification
US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian-made aircraft, accusing Canada of unjustly blocking certification for Gulfstream planes. The threat, posted on social media, also initially included a claim to decertify all Canadian-built aircraft currently in operation, though the White House later clarified this did not apply to existing fleets.
Bombardier responds as White House walks back statement
Canadian aerospace manufacturer Bombardier acknowledged Trump's remarks, stating it was coordinating with the Canadian government. A White House official later told Reuters the president's decertification threat did not extend to planes already in service. The BBC has sought comment from US and Canadian authorities, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration.
Broader trade tensions fuel dispute
The latest tariff threat follows a month of heightened friction between the US and Canada. Earlier in January, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized Trump's policies at the World Economic Forum in Davos, warning of a breakdown in the postwar global order. Days later, Carney's visit to China-where he announced a strategic partnership and tariff reductions-prompted Trump to threaten a 100% tariff on Canadian imports if Canada finalized a trade deal with Beijing.
US targets oil trade with Cuba in new executive order
In a separate move, Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, intensifying pressure on the island's communist government. The order labeled Cuba's policies an "unusual and extraordinary threat" and accused Havana of harboring "dangerous adversaries" of the US. No specific tariff rates or targeted nations were disclosed.
Cuba faces fuel shortages amid US sanctions on Venezuela
The Trump administration's seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers has worsened Cuba's energy crisis, triggering rolling blackouts. Venezuela, once Cuba's primary oil supplier, halted shipments after US forces detained President Nicolás Maduro on January 3. Cuba previously received about 35,000 barrels of oil daily from Venezuela.
"Cuba has the absolute right to import fuel from any willing exporter without interference from US coercive measures,"
Bruno Rodriguez, Cuban Foreign Minister
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel previously rejected Trump's demands for a deal, stating Washington lacked the moral authority to dictate terms. The BBC has reached out to the Cuban Foreign Ministry for further comment.
