(AP) — President Donald Trump came to Michigan on Monday and argued that his economic policies have revived the auto industry and American manufacturing, even as some businesses contend that the sweeping tariffs he’s imposed have actually hurt the state.Trump visited a sprawling General Motors facility in the Detroit suburb of Milford that is a testing ground for its vehicles. He pumped a fist after watching a trio of drag races that involved muscle cars and luxury vehicles like the Corvette Z06, Cadillac Escalade V, and EV Hummer — events the announcer promised were “all America First power.”It was the kind of thundering speed the president is expecting at an IndyCar race in Washington next month, which is part of America’s 250th birthday celebrations.In a subsequent speech inside a design facility, the president cheered GM’s plans to expand production domestically in coming years and declared himself a president who was standing up for auto workers “at long last.”“I’ve done more for you than your parents, OK?” he joked.Michigan was one of the 2024 battlegrounds Trump flipped after it backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. But the state has seen parts of its economy affected by the president’s tariffs, including on imported cars and auto parts.
Automakers have long said tariffs increase the cost of doing business, which leads to higher prices for consumers.Company officials led Trump on a tour where he saw various GM models, including the latest versions of the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado — the production of which he argued had been boosted by tariffs.At one point, POTUS grabbed a pen and signed the hood of a white Corvette that was made specifically for America’s 250th birthday.“They’ve come a long way,” he said to reporters about the Detroit-based automaker during the tour. “It’s amazing what tariffs are doing for GM.” Trump said he’s been good to the company but he declined to say more.“The rest of the world doesn’t love me, but that’s OK,” he said, alluding to tariffs. “It’s called ‘America first.’”Trump’s visit previews Michigan’s Aug.
4 primaryThe president’s speech lasted more than an hour and was wide ranging — hitting on the economy, the war in Iran and the U.S. military operation that toppled the leader of Venezuela.He also touched on communism, crime rates, his administration’s efforts to transform the natio… Escalating trade tensions between the U.S.
and Canada could play into Democratic messaging around the economy, particularly in the battleground state of Michigan, which has some of the highest cross-border trade of any state. President Trump slapped an additional 50 percent tariff on Canada, accusing the country of “discriminatory” trade practices last week. US President Donald Trump has vigorously defended his economic policies in Michigan – a state hit hard by his tariffs, particularly in the automobile sector.
Speaking at a General Motors plant in the town of Milford, Trump claimed his “historic” tariffs are reinvigorating the auto industry and forcing companies to relocate their overseas operations to the US. Job growth in Michigan, however, has slowed to a crawl and the state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Trump’s comments come as he ramps up rally-type appearances ahead of the upcoming midterms in November.
The economy of Michigan, a key battleground state that swung back in the Republican Party’s favour in 2024, relies heavily on nearby Canada, which has been hit by a range of US tariffs – taxes on imported goods that are paid to the government by companies bringing in the foreign products. There is a 25% levy on non-US content on Canadian-assembled passenger vehicles, as well as parts that don’t fall under the current North American free trade pact, or USMCA. There are also steel tariffs, which indirectly affect the industry.
Summary from source