October 22 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday night that the Canadian jet manufacturer Bombardier would invest $270 million in the United States, days after he had withdrawn threats to prohibit the company’s entry into the country.
Trump’s threats against Bombardier, made in September, became a political issue in Kansas, where the company employs 1,500 people in Wichita. The threat of a ban prompted calls to the White House from Kansas lawmakers, including Republican Senator Roger Marshall, who is in a tight race in the November 3 midterm elections.
Bombardier will recruit for 500 jobs across the United States and plans to create a further 300 jobs through expansion projects, the company said in a press release on Friday.
The expansion will include an initial investment of about $270 million for infrastructure development in the first phase, according to the release.
“Based on our constructive discussions with the U.S. government, we see a promising path for our highly skilled aerospace workers, as well as a positive environment for Bombardier to continue seeking direct investments to expand our presence in the United States,” said Chief Executive Eric Martel.
Hiring will be spread across Texas, Kansas, Indiana, and Connecticut, the company said.
In a Truth Social post on Thursday night, Trump stated that Bombardier’s investment would create thousands of jobs in Kansas, Texas and Indiana, and credited the deal to Marshall and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Bombardier, which acquired Learjet and established its U.S. headquarters in Kansas in 1990, has 3,500 jobs in the United States, more than 40% of whom are in Wichita.
