A coalition of 15 aviation advocacy groups are lobbying to get the federal government to exempt aerospace from President Trump’s new tariffs.
In a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the groups urge the federal government to work with the aerospace and aviation industries to “minimize disruptions in the aviation supply chain.”
“The aviation supply chain involves tens of thousands of suppliers from all over the globe which provide parts, platforms, and systems that require safety approval for use and installation, all of which may not be easily replaced or substituted,” the groups wrote in the March 12, 2025, letter.
“Given this reality, it is essential that both government and industry work together to minimize cost and availability disruptions in the aviation supply chain, which in many cases cannot be easily or quickly addressed,” the letter continued. “We believe such dialogue and analysis will benefit the competitiveness of the U.S. aviation manufacturing and maintenance sectors and will be critical as the industry continues to innovate and contribute positively to the U.S. balance of trade.”
The coalition encouraged the federal government to “work with industry and Congress to support policies and actions focused on strengthening aviation safety agreements, policies, and investments to bolster innovation, as well as measures to address specific aviation supply chain challenges.”
More specifically, the coalition requested to meet with the Trump administration to discuss the state of the aviation industry and recommendations to move it forward.
“We ask that you provide an exception for aerospace from any tariff consideration to give time to consider all relevant policies to bolster industry competitiveness and ensure there are no unintended consequences,” the letter concludes.
Associations signing the letter:
- Aeronautical Repair Station Association
- Aircraft Electronics Association
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Airlines for America
- Air Traffic Control Association
- Cargo Airline Association
- Experimental Aircraft Association
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association
- Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association
- National Agricultural Aviation Association
- National Air Carrier Association
- National Air Transport Association
- National Business Aviation Association
- Professional Aviation Safety Specialists
- Vertical Aviation International
You can read the full letter here.