United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby confirmed that he approached American Airlines about a potential merger.

Kirby noted American rejected the idea, “and without a willing partner, something this substantial simply can’t get done.”

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby confirmed on Monday that he approached American Airlines about a potential merger, a possibility American rejected.

“I approached American about exploring a combination because I thought we could do something incredible for customers together,” Kirby remarked in a statement. He stated he shared his “big, bold vision” because he was confident it could win regulatory approval.

American rejected the idea and its CEO, Robert Isom, last week commented such a merger would be terrible for customers and “anticompetitive.”

Kirby had floated the idea to the Trump administration earlier this year, in hopes that that the combination would mean a substantial global airline to compete with foreign rivals.

American declined to comment on Kirby’s Monday statement.

“I was hoping to pitch that story to American, but they declined to engage and instead responded by publicly closing the door,” Kirby noted in his statement on Monday. “And without a willing partner, something this large simply can’t get done.” This also touches on aspects of bull market.

He remarked that “American’s public comments generate it clear that a merger like this is off the table for the foreseeable future” but outlined his vision for a combined airline.

Kirby reiterated that the country has deficit with foreign airlines that fly more than half of the long, according to a person familiar with the matter-haul seats into the U.S., with most of the customers being Americans.

“The combined scale of United and American would be a better way to compete with foreign carriers,” he remarked.

President Donald Trump said he was against the idea of a combination last week.

“I don’t like having them merge,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Tuesday morning. He noted he would, like someone to buy, on the other hand struggling discount carrier Spirit but he also suggested that the federal government could “help that one out.”

Spirit and the Trump administration are in advanced talks for a rescue package.