Boeing Adjusts Strategy Amid Trump Tariff Fallout, CEO Kelly Ortberg Says Won't 'Build Aircraft For Customers Who Will Not Take Them' As China Halts Deliveries

Boeing is shifting strategy after Chinese customers halted aircraft deliveries due to escalating tariff tensions, according to the company’s first quarter earnings call. CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed that China’s retaliatory 125% tariffs on U.S.-made goods have led many Chinese customers to refuse deliveries, prompting Boeing to cease building aircraft for those orders and seek new buyers. Boeing has around 50 deliveries slated for China this year, including 41 already built or in production. Boeing reported better-than-expected first-quarter results with revenue increasing 18% year-over-year to $19.5 billion. The company delivered 130 aircraft in the quarter, exceeding internal projections.