“Before anybody heard of tariffs, our competitors were moving their production elsewhere. But to me it was important that we remain centered here in America,” he said. “We paid a penalty for that; it costs us more, but in the end, it was the right thing to do.”
A bruising battle with the United Auto Workers (UAW) at the end of 2024 led to a landmark agreement, but it increased Ford’s labor costs. Ford assembles 80% of its vehicles sold in the US in America, higher than its competitors, and employs the most UAW workers.
“I’m very proud of that,” Ford said.
President Trump’s stated goal for his trade war is to bring back more US manufacturing. Though many economists and world leaders question Trump’s tactics and tariffs, they’ve resulted in more factory announcements for the US auto industry.
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