WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Canadian jet maker Bombardier was investing US$270 million in the United States, days after he dropped threats to ban the company from the country.
Trump's September threats against Bombardier became a political issue in Kansas, where it employs 1,500 people in Wichita. The threatened ban prompted calls to the White House from Kansas lawmakers, including Republican Senator Roger Marshall, who is facing a tough race in the Nov 3 elections.
In a Truth Social post late on Thursday, Trump said Bombardier's investment would create thousands of jobs in Kansas, Texas, and Indiana, and credited Marshall along with Texas attorney general Ken Paxton for the deal.
"Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas has done an incredible job in representing his Great State! 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," he said.
"Senator Marshall, together with Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas, has done an incredible job in getting this Deal done."
Bombardier, which announced a US$50 million investment in Wichita last week, did not respond to a request for comment on the investment details announced by Trump.
At a speech in Wichita on Monday, Trump had said he did not plan to hurt Bombardier and would take care of its workers.
"... now I find out they have a presence here, and we're not hurting them if they're in Kansas. So we'll take care of those people and the jobs," the president said in that speech.
In February, Trump had threatened to decertify Bombardier aircraft over a certification dispute involving rival Gulfstream Aerospace. That threat never materialised because Transport Canada ultimately approved the jets.