During a visit to America’s automobile manufacturing hub on Sunday, former President Donald Trump issued a warning to the electric vehicle (EV) industry, asserting that regulatory efforts in support of EVs would result in job losses in Michigan.
Addressing Republicans in Oakland County, Trump criticized Vice President Joe Biden’s “environmental extremism” and the imposition of what he deemed “ridiculous regulations” on the electric vehicle sector.
Trump claimed that over half of the U.S. auto jobs would be eliminated due to “ridiculous regulations” driving the growth of electric vehicles, particularly impacting the state of Michigan. He predicted devastating consequences, stating that the toll on jobs would be in the millions, decimating the state beyond imagination.
“The state of Michigan is going to be decimated,” Trump emphasized. “It will be beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.”
The Biden administration aims to have 67% of all passenger-carrying commercial vehicles in the U.S. running on electric power by 2032. In a fact sheet released by the White House, investments in the auto industry were announced with the goal of achieving 50% electric vehicle sales by 2030. As part of the Inflation Reduction Act, eligible customers can claim tax credits when purchasing new or used electric vehicles, supporting the administration’s vision of a clean, affordable, and reliable transportation future.
Michigan heavily relies on the automotive sector, which accounts for approximately 175,000 jobs and plays a significant role in the state’s economy. The White House has encouraged Michigan-based automakers, Ford and General Motors, to transition their production toward electric vehicles. Ford is reportedly receiving a $9.2 billion loan from the government to construct three EV battery plants in Kentucky and Tennessee, marking the largest government assistance for a car manufacturer since the 2009 bailouts.
Earlier this year, Michigan’s legislature approved funding for the construction of an electric vehicle battery plant affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party.
During his speech, Trump highlighted the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which he signed as president, as an agreement that supports American car manufacturing and American workers. He warned the Michigan audience that Democrats, led by Vice President Joe Biden, desire a future where all cars are electric.
Adding a caveat, Trump mentioned the concern of making all-electric cars too expensive, stating, “You know who does make them too expensive? China.”
While Trump won Michigan in the 2016 presidential election, Biden secured victory in the state in 2020. Despite facing federal indictments in separate cases in Manhattan and Miami, Trump currently leads in polls for the 2024 Republican presidential primary. The charges related to handling classified information and allegations of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to Stormy Daniels were dropped earlier this month.