Government may ‘just buy’ struggling Spirit Airlines, Trump says

Published April 24, 2026 9:49am ET | Updated April 24, 2026 9:49am ET



President Donald Trump could come to the rescue of the struggling Spirit Airlines by buying out the company, he said during an Oval Office event on Thursday.

The budget airline has been struggling financially over the past several years, filing for bankruptcy twice between 2024 and 2025. But the recent spike in fuel costs due to the Iran war and uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz has dealt a major blow to Spirit, which ran on thin margins to begin with.

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