트럼프, 스피릿 항공사의 납세자 자금 인수를 검토하고 항공사 재판매 목표
Trump considers a taxpayer takeover of Spirit Airlines and would aim to resell carrier
Associated Press
· 🇺🇸 New York, US
https://apnews.com/author/mae-anderson
EN
2026-04-24 18:20
Translated
도널드 트럼프 대통령은 목요일 유가가 하락한 후 어려움을 겪고 있는 저비용 항공사를 재판매할 의도로 납세자 자금을 사용한 스피릿 항공사의 인수를 검토 중이라고 밝혔다.
트럼프 대통령은 미국 파산법원에서 변호사가 스피릿 항공사가 항공사의 11장 보호에서 벗어날 수 있게 해주는 자금 조달 거래에 대해 미국 정부와 고급 협상을 진행 중이라고 말한 후 스피릿에 대한 지속적인 관심을 확인했다.
"그들은 좋은 항공기와 좋은 자산을 가지고 있으며, 유가가 떨어지면 이익을 위해 판매할 것입니다"라고 트럼프는 관련 없는 대통령 집무실 행사에서 말했다. "나는 그 일자리들을 구하고 싶습니다. 나는 항공사를 구하고 싶습니다."
백악관은 스피릿의 곤경을 바이든 행정부의 탓으로 돌리려 했으며, 바이든 행정부는 2023년 제트블루 항공이 38억 달러에 스피릿을 인수하는 것을 중단하기 위해 소송을 제기했다. 트럼프가 조 바이든 대통령을 대체하기 약 1년 이상 전에 댈러스의 연방 판사는 제안된 스피릿-제트블루 합병을 차단했으며, 이는 승객의 항공료를 인상할 것이라고 말했다.
트럼프는 스피릿을 잠재적으로 운영할 수 있는 "똑똑한 사람"을 염두에 두고 있었으며 항공사가 견고한 재정 기반으로 돌아올 수 있다고 믿었다고 말했다.
스피릿은 수년간 손실로 어려움을 겪었다. 항공사는 2024년 11월에 11장 보호를 신청했고 2025년 8월에 다시 신청했다. 이란 전쟁으로 모든 항공사의 제트 연료 비용이 상승하면서, 채권자들은 이번 달 초 스피릿의 지속적인 생존 가능성에 대해 의문을 제기했으며, 밝은 노란색 항공기로 알려진 항공사가 자산을 판매하고 운영을 중단해야 할 가능성을 높였다.
트럼프의 정부가 항공사를 완전히 인수해야 한다는 의견이 나오기 전에, 스피릿을 대리하는 Davis Polk의 변호사인 Marshall Huebner는 뉴욕의 미국 파산법원 심문에서 정부 자금 조달이 재조직을 가능하게 하고 스피릿이 더 경쟁력 있게 만드는 데 도움이 될 것이라고 말했다.
운송 장관 숀 더피는 정부가 스피릿을 계속 유지하는 것에 대해 회의적인 입장을 표했다. CBS 인터뷰에서 더피는 거래가 더 광범위한 선례를 설정할 것인지에 대해 의문을 제기했다.
여러 의원들, 공화당과 민주당 모두는 구제금융 아이디어에 대해 반발했다. 텍사스의 테드 크루즈 상원의원은 수요일 X에 스피릿 거래가 "끔찍한 아이디어"라고 썼다.
한편 항공사 조종사를 대표하는 노조는 구제 거래에 대해 "강력한 지지"를 표명했다.
트럼프 대통령은 미국 파산법원에서 변호사가 스피릿 항공사가 항공사의 11장 보호에서 벗어날 수 있게 해주는 자금 조달 거래에 대해 미국 정부와 고급 협상을 진행 중이라고 말한 후 스피릿에 대한 지속적인 관심을 확인했다.
"그들은 좋은 항공기와 좋은 자산을 가지고 있으며, 유가가 떨어지면 이익을 위해 판매할 것입니다"라고 트럼프는 관련 없는 대통령 집무실 행사에서 말했다. "나는 그 일자리들을 구하고 싶습니다. 나는 항공사를 구하고 싶습니다."
백악관은 스피릿의 곤경을 바이든 행정부의 탓으로 돌리려 했으며, 바이든 행정부는 2023년 제트블루 항공이 38억 달러에 스피릿을 인수하는 것을 중단하기 위해 소송을 제기했다. 트럼프가 조 바이든 대통령을 대체하기 약 1년 이상 전에 댈러스의 연방 판사는 제안된 스피릿-제트블루 합병을 차단했으며, 이는 승객의 항공료를 인상할 것이라고 말했다.
트럼프는 스피릿을 잠재적으로 운영할 수 있는 "똑똑한 사람"을 염두에 두고 있었으며 항공사가 견고한 재정 기반으로 돌아올 수 있다고 믿었다고 말했다.
스피릿은 수년간 손실로 어려움을 겪었다. 항공사는 2024년 11월에 11장 보호를 신청했고 2025년 8월에 다시 신청했다. 이란 전쟁으로 모든 항공사의 제트 연료 비용이 상승하면서, 채권자들은 이번 달 초 스피릿의 지속적인 생존 가능성에 대해 의문을 제기했으며, 밝은 노란색 항공기로 알려진 항공사가 자산을 판매하고 운영을 중단해야 할 가능성을 높였다.
트럼프의 정부가 항공사를 완전히 인수해야 한다는 의견이 나오기 전에, 스피릿을 대리하는 Davis Polk의 변호사인 Marshall Huebner는 뉴욕의 미국 파산법원 심문에서 정부 자금 조달이 재조직을 가능하게 하고 스피릿이 더 경쟁력 있게 만드는 데 도움이 될 것이라고 말했다.
운송 장관 숀 더피는 정부가 스피릿을 계속 유지하는 것에 대해 회의적인 입장을 표했다. CBS 인터뷰에서 더피는 거래가 더 광범위한 선례를 설정할 것인지에 대해 의문을 제기했다.
여러 의원들, 공화당과 민주당 모두는 구제금융 아이디어에 대해 반발했다. 텍사스의 테드 크루즈 상원의원은 수요일 X에 스피릿 거래가 "끔찍한 아이디어"라고 썼다.
한편 항공사 조종사를 대표하는 노조는 구제 거래에 대해 "강력한 지지"를 표명했다.
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President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would allow Spirit to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.
“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”
Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.
The White House has attempted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 billion. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.
Trump said he had “a smart person” in mind who could potentially run Spirit and that he believed the airline could get back on solid financial footing.
“And they have some very good slots too, which are pretty valuable,” the president added, referring to scheduled times allocated for airlines to take off or land at airports when demand exceeds available capacity.
Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2025. With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit’s ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.
Before Trump’s comments about the government buying the airline outright, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk who is representing Spirit, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York that government financing would make a reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive.
Details of a potential deal were shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Huebner said.
It was not immediately clear how a federal acquisition would differ from the terms that were under discussion. The size and terms of the financing aid were not shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, both reported an amount of $500 million that would give the government an option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, Duffy questioned whether a deal would set a broader precedent.
“Then who else comes to my door?” he said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”
Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, also balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”
“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted on X. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”
The union that represents the airline’s pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.
“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”
Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.
Madhani reported from Washington. AP writers Josh Boak in Washington and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, and Vice President JD Vance listen in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting between the ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would allow Spirit to emerge from Chapter 11 protection.
“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”
Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.
The White House has attempted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 billion. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.
Trump said he had “a smart person” in mind who could potentially run Spirit and that he believed the airline could get back on solid financial footing.
“And they have some very good slots too, which are pretty valuable,” the president added, referring to scheduled times allocated for airlines to take off or land at airports when demand exceeds available capacity.
Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2025. With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit’s ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.
Before Trump’s comments about the government buying the airline outright, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk who is representing Spirit, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York that government financing would make a reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive.
Details of a potential deal were shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Huebner said.
It was not immediately clear how a federal acquisition would differ from the terms that were under discussion. The size and terms of the financing aid were not shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources, both reported an amount of $500 million that would give the government an option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, Duffy questioned whether a deal would set a broader precedent.
“Then who else comes to my door?” he said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”
Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, also balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”
“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted on X. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”
The union that represents the airline’s pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.
“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”
Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.
Madhani reported from Washington. AP writers Josh Boak in Washington and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.