Donald Trump used false claims during his acceptance speech for the Republican presidential nomination to call for the United Auto Workers (UAW) union president to be fired. Trump claimed that Chinese automakers were building large factories in Mexico, from which they would ship cars to the US without paying taxes.
Industry experts, however, have debunked this claim, stating that there are no such plants under construction and only one small Chinese auto assembly factory operating in Mexico. The company, JAC, builds inexpensive vehicles for sale in Mexico.
Trump’s claims were deemed “clearly exaggerated” by Jeff Schuster, vice president of automotive research for Global Data. Trump also falsely stated that he would build Chinese auto factories in the US or double/triple tariffs on imported cars to make them unsellable.
The UAW and its president, Shawn Fain, responded to Trump’s claims, calling him a “scab” and stating that he represents billionaires, not workers. Fain also accused Trump of doing nothing to help autoworkers during his presidency, including when General Motors closed a factory in Ohio and when autoworkers went on strike against GM.
Trump has been criticized for making false claims about the auto industry, which is a crucial part of Michigan’s economy. The UAW endorsed Joe Biden’s reelection bid earlier this year, citing Trump’s lack of support for autoworkers.
Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, plan to visit Grand Rapids, Michigan, for a rally on Saturday. This will be Trump’s fourth campaign visit to the state since mid-March. Trump also stated during his acceptance speech that he would end Biden’s “electric vehicle mandate” and divert money set aside for tax credits to infrastructure projects if re-elected.
Source: Yahoo News
