Trump: 'I'd love somebody to buy' Spirit Airlines |
Trump: ‘I’d love somebody to buy’ Spirit Airlines
President Trump came out against a potential merger between American Airlines and United Airlines in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday, but suggested Spirit Airlines should be bought.
“I’d love somebody to buy Spirit, it’s 14,000 jobs. Maybe the federal government should help that one out. I told my people,” Trump told CNBC’s Squawk Box.
Last week, Reuters reported that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a merger between his company and American Airlines during a meeting with the president in February on the future of Washington Dulles International Airport.
In 2023, United and American ranked first and third, respectively, in revenue by passenger miles among U.S.-based commercial airlines, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. A merger of the two would create the largest airline in the world.
Under Trump appointee Andrew Ferguson, the Federal Trade Commission — which is responsible for approving such deals — has taken a friendlier stance toward mergers than it did under former Chair Lina Khan, who was appointed by former President Biden.
A number of Democrats have spoken out against the idea of a United-American merger.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), said last week on the social platform X, “That’s gonna be a no,” while Matt Stoller, a researcher at the anti-monopolist American Economic Liberties Project, said such a merger would constitute “corporate crime” that is “now legal.”
Trump referred to the proposal as “a step too far.”
“But with American, it’s doing fine, and United is doing very well,” he continued. “I don’t like having them merge.”
Spirit has declined offers from Frontier Airlines to acquire the embattled airline. A separate bid by JetBlue to purchase the company was blocked in federal court.
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