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Trump says deal with Spirit Airlines still possible
02 May 2026

Spirit Airlines is on the brink of shutting down after a proposed $500 million bailout deal with the Trump administration fell through.

The budget airline has struggled to secure sufficient funding from both the government and some bondholders, as per a report by The Wall Street Journal.

President Donald Trump has said that a deal with Spirit Airlines is still possible, but only if it's a good deal and we have to come first.

If we can help them, we will: Trump
Presidential remarks

President Trump told reporters at the White House, "If we could do it, we'd do it, but only if it's a good deal."

He added that an announcement regarding this matter might come later Friday or the following day.

"I'd like to save the jobs," Trump said. "If we can help them, we will. But we have to come first. We're first."

Proposed deal would give government a 90% stake in airline
Deal details

The proposed deal would give the government up to a 90% stake in Spirit Airlines in return for a major cash injection.

This could potentially allow the White House to use part of the bankrupt carrier's fleet for military operations.

However, some Trump administration members have been divided over how to fund this bailout, while some Spirit bondholders are against it altogether.

United, American Airlines step up to support Spirit's customers
Industry impact

In light of Spirit's potential shutdown, United Airlines and American Airlines have stepped up to support its customers.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has expressed doubts about whether a government bailout would be enough to save Spirit.

Meanwhile, Spirit plans to reduce its fleet size to around one-third of its pre-bankruptcy size by Q3 2026.