President-elect Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as America’s 45 president in less than 3 weeks, and he is already helping to create thousands of American jobs.
Early Tuesday morning, Ford announced that it had cancelled plans to build a line of cars in Mexico, and instead will create 700 American jobs in a “vote of confidence” for the incoming president.
Ford CEO Mark Fields said that Trump has already created a pro-business environment, but stressed that his company “didn’t cut a deal with Trump. We did it for our business.”
BREAKING: Ford announces it is canceling plans for new $1.6B plant in Mexico; company to invest $700M in Michigan plant expansion
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) January 3, 2017
From CNN Money:
The $700 million investment will go to the Flat Rock, Michigan plant to produce more electric and self-driving cars. Ford believes electric vehicles will outsell gasoline-powered vehicles within the next 15 years.
“I am thrilled that we have been able to secure additional UAW-Ford jobs for American workers,” said Jimmy Settles, United Auto Workers vice president. Last year, Ford announced it would invest $1.6 billion in Mexico to build the Ford Focus. Instead, the Focus will be built at an existing plant in Mexico, and Ford will expand its plant in Flat Rock.
“Our announcements today are really a vote of confidence in the economy,” said Fields. Trump repeatedly slammed Ford on the campaign trail, claiming the company was moving good manufacturing jobs to Mexico. He vowed to slap a 35% tariff on Ford vehicles made in Mexico and sold in the U.S. Ford fought back against Trump’s rhetoric, saying he had his facts wrong and that the company never planned to cut any U.S. jobs.
Ford currently employs 85,000 Americans, up 28,000, or nearly 50%, in just the last five years. In Mexico, Ford employs 8,800.
Ford’s announcement comes after a busy December, in which President-elect Trump helped save hundreds of American jobs with Carrier, as well as thousands of additional jobs with various companies across the country!
President-elect Trump has promised that after he is sworn in, he will cut corporate taxes and eliminate numerous regulations that hurt American businesses. It is clear that creating American jobs is priority number one for Trump, and Ford’s announcement demonstrates that the incoming president is keeping his promises!
Do you think this Ford announcement is just the first of many companies promising to invest in American workers? Share your thoughts below!