Trump signals interest in buying Spirit Airlines with taxpayer backing, aims to resell for profit

President Donald Trump has doubled down on the idea of a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines rather than a traditional bailout, an approach critics previously described as highly problematic.

Trump reaffirmed his interest in offering the airline a financial lifeline during a meeting at the Oval Office on Thursday, adding that the plan would involve reselling the carrier once oil prices decline.

"We're thinking about doing it, helping them out and meaning bailing them out or buying it. I think we just buy it," he said. 

"We'd be getting it virtually debt free. They have some good aircraft, some good assets, and when the price of oil goes down, we'll sell it for a profit." 

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The remarks came amid talks of a potential financial bailout involving a reported $500 million loan aimed at preserving thousands of American jobs and maintaining a budget-friendly competitor in the airfare industry. 

"It's in a bankruptcy," Trump said. "It's in bankruptcy court. And we're looking if we could get it for the right price, I'd do it to save jobs."

Spirit Airlines has faced years of mounting financial challenges that have been pushing the company toward potential liquidation, including multiple Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings, failed merger attempts with other low-cost competitors, and rising operation costs driven in part by surging jet fuel prices linked to the conflict involving Iran. 

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Trump said the strategy would be to put a "smart person" in charge to run the airline properly, wait for oil prices to drop, and then resell the company for a profit once it becomes a valuable asset again.

"We have somebody that wants to run it, do a good job, smart person, and if they run it properly and if prices come down, all of a sudden it's a valuable asset," he said.  

A primary motivation for the potential takeover, Trump said, is to protect the livelihoods of what he estimated to be 18,000 staffers.

He further emphasized that keeping a large number of airlines in business is important to maintain healthy competition within the industry.

"I'd love to be able to save an airline," the president added. "You know, I like having a lot of airlines. So it's competitive."

He also pointed out that Spirit Airlines had attempted to merge with another airline years ago before the Obama administration had blocked the move, a decision Trump described as a mistake.

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Spirit Airlines previously filed for bankruptcy on two separate occasions, in November 2024 and August 2025, amid mounting losses and unsuccessful merger talks.

In late February, the airline announced that it had reached an agreement with its lenders to exit bankruptcy proceedings. 

The company also introduced a revised business strategy aimed at expanding premium seating options and loyalty programs in an effort to improve financial performance while maintaining its low-cost brand identity.

FOX Business' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.