Donald Trump has reignited his long-standing feud with Barack Obama, with his bone of contention this time centering on the dramatic collapse of Spirit Airlines.
In a surprising rant, Trump claimed Obama was responsible for blocking a past airline merger that could have saved the struggling carrier. But critics quickly poked holes in his argument, pointing out inconsistencies in the timeline and details.
Trump was also accused of being “obsessed” with Obama, while other online users went as far as to question his grasp of the facts behind the airline’s collapse.
Donald Trump Reignites Feud With Obama
Trump is once again taking a swipe at Obama, this time over Spirit Airlines’ turbulent downfall.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the former president claimed his original predecessor was responsible for blocking what he described as a “natural merger” between Spirit and People’s Express. The latter airline hasn’t operated in decades.
“So, Spirit is an airline that’s had some trouble,” Trump said at the time, per News Republic. “They were going to merge with People Express, or one of them, a number of years ago, and Barack Hussein Obama decided it was a bad idea.”
He doubled down on the claim, adding, “How did that work out? It was bad for both of them. That would’ve been a natural merger.”
Trump’s Claim Falls Apart Fast
However, Trump’s claim quickly unraveled under scrutiny. People Express shut down in 1987, years before Spirit Airlines even existed in its current form and long before Obama ever stepped into the White House.
The timeline mismatch left many questioning what merger Trump was actually referring to.
Some speculated he may have meant Spirit’s failed 2024 merger attempt with JetBlue, which unfolded under Joe Biden’s administration. That deal ultimately collapsed amid concerns it would wipe out Spirit’s budget-friendly model and push ticket prices higher.
Critics Tear Into Donald Trump For His Obama Rant
After Trump’s remarks began circulating online, social media users didn’t hold back. Many called him out for seemingly confusing key details, while others blamed his own policies for Spirit’s struggles.
“He started doing it around the time he jumped on the Christian grift… But now he’s pushing hard on Muslims. So Hussein,” one Reddit user wrote, reacting to Trump’s repeated use of Obama’s middle name.
“The dementia is strong in this one,” another commenter added.
Others pointed the finger back at the 47th president, with one user writing, “They would still be in business if it wasn’t for his economic policies and going to war with Iran.”
“First… Trump can s-ck it,” another critic posted. “Spirit has been struggling for a while. Sure, oil prices didn’t help, but they were most likely going away anyway. Their service s-cked.”
Trump Floats Plan To Save Spirit
Trump appeared to waver when asked whether the government would step in to rescue Spirit Airlines as the budget carrier spiraled toward collapse.
“We’re thinking about doing it, helping them out, meaning bailing them out or buying it. I think we just buy it,” Trump said. “We’d be getting it virtually debt-free. They have some good aircraft, some good assets, and when oil prices go down, we’ll sell it for a profit.”
He added, “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”
But any potential rescue came too late.
Spirit Airlines officially shut down operations on Saturday, May 2, 2026, after failing to secure a $500 million federal bailout from the Trump administration, according to the BBC.
Inside Donald Trump And Barack Obama’s Long-Running Feud
Trump and Obama’s rivalry has been simmering for more than a decade. During the 2016 election, Trump accused the then-president of “treason,” claiming Obama had tried to undermine his incoming administration by linking him to alleged Russian election interference.
“They tried to steal the election,” Trump said at the time. In response, Obama’s camp dismissed the remark as a “weak attempt at distraction.”
But tensions between the two go back even further. Before launching his presidential bid, Trump repeatedly questioned whether Obama was born in the United States, per ABC News. The pressure eventually led the incumbent to release his Hawaii birth certificate, after which he publicly mocked Trump during a White House Correspondents’ Dinner appearance.
In more recent years, the feud has spilled onto social media, including a controversial video shared on Trump’s account that depicted Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes.