Trump says Spirit given 'final proposal' on bailout amid reports it may shut down
Source: NBC News
May. 1, 2026, 12:44 PM EDT
President Donald Trump said the White House had given Spirit Airlines "a final proposal" for a federal bailout to save the carrier, amid reports the troubled budget carrier is laying the groundwork to wind down its operations. The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Bloomberg News all reported Spirit is preparing for liquidation, after surging jet fuel costs made its planned exit from bankruptcy all but impossible.
Spirit had in recent weeks approached the White House seeking financial assistance and Trump initially appeared receptive to the idea, proposing a $500 million package with the U.S. taking a stake in the company.
Yet the plan almost immediately ran into opposition from Wall Street, Capitol Hill and even a member of Trumps own cabinet. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy suggested a rescue would amount to tossing good money after bad.. Theres been a lot of money thrown at Spirit, and they havent found their way into profitability, Duffy said in an interview with Reuters. And so would we just forestall the inevitable and then own that?
But in remarks to the press Friday afternoon, Trump expressed doubts about the rescue. Were looking at it. But if we cant make a good deal... no institution has been able to do it, he said.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/spirit-airlines-bailout-shut-down-rcna343089
dweller
(28,594 posts)Spirit will shutdown after failing to secure 500m from White House
Was it also required to change name to trump airlines ?
✌🏻
Ray Bruns
(6,603 posts)muriel_volestrangler
(106,470 posts)after the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Ritabert
(2,555 posts)Jacson6
(2,122 posts)It cost a lot of money to keep airplanes in the sky.
Eugene
(67,212 posts)The struggling budget airline had been negotiating with the Trump administration for a $500 million rescue package that would have provided cash in exchange for equity-like warrants, giving the government up to a 90 percent stake. However, the effort has stalled because Spirit has been unable to secure the necessary backing from bondholders and government stakeholders, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal Friday.
There were reportedly disagreements within the Trump administration over whether and how to fund the bailout, while not all Spirit bondholders were on board with the deal, either, the sources claimed.
https://www.independent.co.uk/us/money/spirit-airlines-shutting-down-bailout-b2969020.html
https://finance.yahoo.com/economy/policy/articles/spirit-airlines-prepares-shut-down-152920940.html