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Reports: US May Take up to 90% Stake in Spirit Airlines

Did Biden's DOJ kill Spirit Airlines and make this bailout necessary or should the Trump administration let the company die?
Reports: US May Take up to 90% Stake in Spirit Airlines
Above: A Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 lands on April 17. Image credit: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin


Pro-Trump narrative

The Biden DOJ killed Spirit by blocking its merger with JetBlue, bragging it was a win for consumers while actually gutting the only path to survival for an ultra-low-cost carrier. Low-cost airlines run on razor-thin margins and need scale to survive. The Trump administration has been left with no choice but to step in and protect 14,000 jobs that Biden's reckless antitrust overreach put at risk.

Anti-Trump narrative

Bailing out Spirit Airlines with taxpayer money is corporate welfare dressed up as economic patriotism. Spirit earned its reputation for poor service and bad business decisions and taxpayers shouldn't be stuck covering losses for shareholders and executives who bet wrong. Real capitalism means letting failed companies go under so stronger ones can take their place.



Go Deeper

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.4.1

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 7.4.1