Boeing stock takes off thanks to President Trump as the plane maker scores its biggest order ever

Aerospace giant Boeing (BA) has quickly emerged as a top beneficiary of President Trump’s dealmaking abroad.

Shares hit 52-week highs on Wednesday after the plane maker scored its largest-ever order from Qatar Airways. The deal follows other orders that originated abroad over the past week.

Boeing stock has surged 50% since its April lows, following President Trump’s unveiling of his “Liberation Day” tariff policy — a dramatic reversal for a company that just last year was mired in safety crises, production delays, and leadership turmoil.

“[It] could be argued that Trump’s return to the White House has benefited Boeing,” Fundstrat strategists wrote earlier this week, pointing to the president’s “stump for Boeing abroad.”

Last week, during the announcement of a US-UK trade deal, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick highlighted a $10 billion aircraft order, later confirmed to be from British Airways’ parent company, IAG.

“That turned out to be just an appetizer,” the Fundstrat analysts said. The administration has reportedly sought similar commitments from other countries as President Trump travels through the Middle East this week.

The landmark agreement signed in Qatar on Wednesday includes a $96 billion agreement to acquire up to 210 American-made Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft powered by GE Aerospace (GE) engines.

The Arab country recently offered Trump a Boeing 747 jet to use as an interim Air Force One, a gift that has come under scrutiny. Trump has defended his decision to receive it, saying, “Only a FOOL would not accept” it.

On Tuesday, Boeing also announced an order of up to 30 planes from AviLease, a global aircraft lessor headquartered in Saudi Arabia.

The American plane maker has also become a bargaining chip amid tariff deal making.

On Tuesday, Beijing lifted its monthlong ban on Boeing deliveries following China-US trade talks in Switzerland that produced a temporary truce. The ban had been imposed in April, just after President Trump announced a 145% tariff on Chinese imports.

Meanwhile, as countries within the European Union await their turn at the negotiating table, the EU has threatened retaliatory tariffs on Boeing aircraft and US-made cars if talks with the Trump administration fail to ease tensions, according to a Bloomberg report.

Boeing’s turnaround is especially striking given the company went through a terrible period in 2024 following a “door plug” incident on an Alaska Airlines (ALK) flight. That event triggered a wave of lawsuits, government investigations, and safety and production changes — ultimately leading to a leadership overhaul.