Trump Wants Buyer for Spirit, Pans United-American Merger

Spirit Airlines airplanes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Photographer: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg

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By Hadriana Lowenkron

April 21, 2026 at 1:13 PM UTC

Updated on

April 22, 2026 at 12:06 AM UTC

President Donald Trump said he would like to see a buyer emerge for Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc. and was open to the government coming to the aid of the airline, while opposing a merger between American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc.

“Spirit’s in trouble, and I’d love somebody to buy Spirit,” Trump said Tuesday in an interview on CNBC, adding “maybe the federal government should help that one out” given there are 14,000 jobs at stake.