President Donald Trump reportedly has criticized Delta for buying Airbus jetliners -- many of which have been assembled in Alabama in recent years.

Since Airbus began assembling A320-family jets at a new plant in Mobile in 2016, Delta has been a prime customer. In fact, just a few days before the meeting at which Trump made his remarks, Airbus announced it was delivering Delta’s 50th made-in-Alabama jetliner. That was out of 130 the plant had delivered overall.

News of the presidential criticism comes from an NBC report on a contentious meeting recently held between Trump and representatives of some U.S. airlines. The airlines had sought the meeting to press their case in a simmering trade dispute between them and airlines based in the Middle East. According to the NBC report, U.S. carriers argue that Mideastern airlines are undercutting them on flights between the U.S. and Europe thanks to subsidies from their home governments.

American Airlines, Delta and United sought a meeting with Trump to press their case and got the President's attention by running ads on Fox News. But the meeting apparently didn't go as they'd hoped.

"During an hour-long session, the president ribbed American Airlines CEO Doug Parker over his company’s flagging stock price, asking why it’s so low at a time when the stock market is surging," reported NBC. "He scolded Delta Airlines, whose CEO Ed Bastian did not attend, for buying billions in planes from the European firm Airbus while Qatar Airways is buying its jets from Chicago-based Boeing Co."

Airbus is in the middle of a major expansion for its Mobile site. The work will add a second assembly line for the new A220 family of jets; the first such jet is to be delivered next year. A major order from Delta helped establish industry demand for the A220 and triggered an unsuccessful trade complaint from Boeing.

"We are proud to have Airbus aircraft flying for 13 U.S. airlines, and to manufacture many of those aircraft in Mobile, Alabama, where work continues on our second large aircraft assembly line," said Kristi Tucker, director of communications for Airbus Americas. "With our hundreds of U.S. suppliers accounting for 40% of all Airbus’ aircraft-related procurement, every customer who invests in Airbus is investing in U.S. manufacturing and supporting American jobs."

Lisa Hanna, a corporate communications and government affairs official for Delta, said the company would not comment on the meeting itself but said Bastian’s absence was unavoidable: “Due to previously scheduled travel that couldn’t be adjusted, Ed Bastian was unable to attend the meeting with the president; however his and Delta’s commitment to leveling the playing field for international aviation remains as strong as ever.”

U.S. Sen. Doug Jones said he was “very proud of the fact that so many global companies smartly invest in Alabama and our first-class workforce, including Airbus.

I would respectfully suggest that before he criticizes a company, the President should get his facts straight,"Jones said. "Had he done so, he would have learned that Delta in fact buys jets made at the Airbus plant in Mobile, and I would assume he’d be a lot more reluctant to discourage companies from supporting hard-working people in Alabama. To the good folks at Airbus, know that Alabama appreciates you and the investments you have made in our state. “

Republican Rep. Bradley Byrne said that “Alabama’s workers are the best in the world, so it’s no surprise Airbus chose Mobile and it’s workers to build their first class airplanes. I’m proud to stand with the Trump Administration as it works to protect American jobs, and I’ll continue working with President Trump as I advocate for our Alabama workers.”

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson commented via twitter that “Made in Mobile = Made in America!”

Made in Mobile = Made in America! https://t.co/dqTVsobont — Sandy Stimpson (@MayorStimpson) July 30, 2019

NBC said its report was based on “interviews with 10 individuals, including senior Trump administration officials, airline officials, congressional aides and others who attended or were briefed on the unusual July 18 meeting.”

Updated at 7:50 p.m. with additional comment.