Trump Signals Retreat From Bombardier Sales Threat

President Donald Trump signaled a retreat from his threat to block Bombardier aircraft sales in the United States, saying he would help the company and protect jobs in Kansas. His comments at a rally near Wichita on October 19 followed earlier threats to bar the Canadian manufacturer’s U.S. sales unless it moved operations to the country. Trump did not name Bombardier during the rally, referring instead to a certain aircraft company. He said he had previously viewed it as Canadian but had learned of its presence in Kansas, adding that he did not want to hurt its workers there. In a separate interview, he referred to Bombardier, according to reports. The remarks amount to a change in tone, not a formal policy announcement. The supplied reporting describes no official order or confirmation that the threatened restriction has been withdrawn. Trump’s comments therefore do not establish whether the administration will formally abandon or implement the threat. Bombardier employs about 3,500 people in the United States, including roughly 1,500 in Wichita, where it has its defence division’s headquarters. Trump said a phone call from Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall helped change...