Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday blamed the Biden Administration’s rejection of the Spirit-Jet Blue merger for the company’s collapse.
Over the weekend, Spirit Airlines customers woke up to a blunt message inside the airline’s app: every scheduled flight is canceled, effective immediately.
Shutting down operations has disrupted travel for thousands. The low-cost airline had dozens of routes, including nonstop flights between major cities such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville, New Orleans, and Newark.
Viral videos on social media show empty and deserted Spirit check-in counters at airports across the country.
Spirit Airlines is shut down at Orlando International Airport. pic.twitter.com/SgIfidaKp4
— Murfam Post 📷🎥🖋 (@MurfamPost) May 2, 2026
Spirit’s downfall has renewed debate over President Joe Biden’s administration and efforts to block the proposed JetBlue–Spirit merger.
“This is just more of the mess we inherited from the Biden administration,” Bessent said. “Thanks to @SenWarren, @PeteButtigieg, and all of their friends in the Biden Administration who backed their enthusiastic opposition to the Spirit-Jet Blue merger, dozens of regional airports will now lose service, and thousands of jobs will now be lost.”
Had Spirit Airlines been allowed to merge with Jet Blue, it would have given them much more resiliency.
Thanks to @SenWarren, @PeteButtigieg, and all of their friends in the Biden Administration who backed their enthusiastic opposition to the Spirit-Jet Blue merger, dozens of… pic.twitter.com/JhtKcAEnFu
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) May 3, 2026
In March 2024, the Department of Justice under President Biden celebrated when a district court judge in Massachusetts blocked JetBlue from acquiring Spirit, saying the deal would’ve hurt consumers.
“Today’s decision by JetBlue is yet another victory for the Justice Department’s work on behalf of American consumers,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said at the time. “The Justice Department proved in court that a merger between JetBlue and Spirit would have caused tens of millions of travelers to face higher fares and fewer choices. We will continue to vigorously enforce the nation’s antitrust laws.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a vocal critic of the proposed merger, also took a victory lap.
“I’ve warned for months that a JetBlue-Spirit Airlines merger would have led to fewer flights and higher fares,” she said on social media in March 2024. “This is a Biden win for flyers!”
I’ve warned for months that a @JetBlue–@SpiritAirlines merger would have led to fewer flights and higher fares.@JusticeATR and @USDOT were right to stand up for consumers and fight against runaway airline consolidation.
This is a Biden win for flyers! https://t.co/lJFGS3ucv3
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 6, 2024
The company’s downfall came days after a last-ditch effort to save the airline fell apart. A roughly $500 million bailout push led by the Trump administration failed after disagreements between the Trump administration and key bondholders stalled any deal. The collapse will also result in at least 15,000 people losing their jobs, according to Reuters.
“If JetBlue had merged with Spirit, we would have all these jobs that were lost yesterday; we had 30 regional airports who have lost service,” Bessent said. “The reason we were here was because the Biden Administration opposed the merger. We shouldn’t of been here in the first place.”
On Saturday, Sen. Warren blamed the war in the Middle East for the low-cost airline suspending operations.
“Spiking fuel prices from Trump’s war was the nail in the coffin for twice-bankrupted Spirit airline,” Warren said. “FWIW, JetBlue merger failed because a judge, appointed by Ronald Reagan, said the deal was illegal. Republicans are desperate to shift blame from higher costs hitting families.”
I’ve warned for months that a @JetBlue–@SpiritAirlines merger would have led to fewer flights and higher fares.@JusticeATR and @USDOT were right to stand up for consumers and fight against runaway airline consolidation.
This is a Biden win for flyers! https://t.co/lJFGS3ucv3
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 6, 2024
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