Trump says ‘we gave them a final proposal’ as Spirit readies to shut down
President Donald Trump said an proclamation about a federal rescue package for Spirit Airlines is expected sometime Friday, after the government didn’t fully succeed in bailing out the struggling carrier. He said the administration is determined to reach a deal to save jobs,but only if it’s “a good deal,” and indicated discussions are still ongoing.
Earlier reporting from the *Wall Street Journal* suggested Spirit could shut down as soon as the weekend following Chapter 11 filings in 2024 and 2025, with talks between Spirit and the Trump administration continuing since April. Reported proposals include a possible $500 million federal loan and, alternatively or additionally, the government taking a large ownership stake.
Spirit has declined to comment in detail but maintains that it is operating normally and that flights are running as scheduled. The company remains unable to recover after the failed proposed merger with JetBlue, which was blocked by a federal judge on antitrust grounds.
President Donald Trump confirmed that an announcement on a federal solution to save Spirit Airlines will be coming at some point on Friday.
“No institution has been able to” bail out the struggling airline, he told reporters. “I said I’d like to save the jobs, but we’ll have an announcement sometime today. We gave them a final proposal.”
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Earlier Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Spirit may shut down as soon as this weekend after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice between November 2024 and August 2025. Negotiations between the airline and the Trump administration have been ongoing since April.
When asked if he decided against bailing out the budget airline, Trump said the federal government is determined to make a deal.
“Well, I guess we’re looking at it,” he responded to a reporter’s question. “If we can do it, we’d do it. But only if it’s a good deal.”
Talks of a possible $500 million loan from the federal government have been reported in recent weeks. The airline has also reportedly discussed the possibility of letting the government take a 90% stake in the company.
A spokesperson for Spirit declined to comment on discussions but noted the airline is “operating as usual.”
Spirit made a similar statement on social media in response to a worried customer’s comment.
HASSETT SAYS TALKS OF SPIRIT BAILOUT ARE ‘ONGOING’
“The most important thing to know is that Spirit continues to operate and offer high-value travel options,” the company posted on X. “Our flights are operating as scheduled.”
Spirit has not been able to recover from the Biden administration’s offensive against its proposed $3.8 billion merger with JetBlue Airways. That deal collapsed in March 2024 when a federal judge blocked it on antitrust grounds.
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