President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that his administration is considering an outright government purchase of Spirit Airlines.
Speaking from the Oval Office following a meeting with Israeli and Lebanese officials—where he announced a three-week ceasefire extension—the President suggested the move would protect 18,000 jobs and eventually net the taxpayers a return.
The President’s comments mark a significant step beyond recent rumors of a simple equity stake. “I think we just buy it,” Trump told reporters, noting that the carrier’s current bankruptcy status could allow the government to acquire it “virtually debt free.”
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Trump pointed to the company’s assets, such as aircraft and valuable flight slots, as the primary motivation. He also criticized past regulatory decisions that prevented Spirit from merging with other carriers years ago.
“They were going to merge with People Express or one of them… and Barack Hussein Obama decided it was a bad idea,” Trump said. “How did that work out? It was bad for both of them.”
The President framed the potential bailout as both a jobs program and a strategic investment.
“When the price of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” he explained, adding that he wants to maintain a competitive airline industry. He also mentioned that his team already has a “smart person” in mind to run the airline if the acquisition moves forward.
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This would not be the first time the current administration has stepped into the private sector. The government recently took an $8.9 billion stake in the chipmaker Intel, a move Trump has repeatedly described as “very free market.”
However, the prospect of a Spirit Airlines takeover is already meeting resistance within his own party, as a growing number of Republicans have begun to voice concerns over the government’s increasing role in private enterprise.
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