Ford CEO Jim Farley Celebrates American Manufacturing, Praises Trump's Auto Tariff Relief as 'Right Move'
Ford CEO inspects expansive Kentucky factory, echoes Trump's efforts in size enhancement
In a candid conversation with Maria Bartiromo on FOX Business, Ford CEO Jim Farley praised the Louisville, Kentucky plant as a shining example of President Donald Trump's vision for the U.S. automotive industry.
"This is one of the world's most profitable and crucial plants for us," Farley declared from the plant, home to over 9,000 employees who manufacture the Super Duty, the new Expedition and Navigator, all popular vehicles. Despite the harsh working conditions with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the dedicated employees are the heart of what the president is trying to achieve, Farley emphasized.
The plant, Farley said, embodies what Ford has always believed in—American manufacturing. He commended Trump's effort to bring more jobs back to American soil by laser-focusing on plants like theirs, which could multiply across the nation, transforming the industry.
Trump approved an executive order on Tuesday to alleviate the impact of auto tariffs on U.S. automakers, specifically exempting companies already paying tariffs from additional duties on steel and aluminum.
While general tariff data does not directly mention auto tariff relief or Ford, it is possible that such relief may have the following effects on Ford:
- Cost Savings: Reducing tariffs on imported components, such as electronics and steel, could lower production costs for the U.S.-assembled vehicles.
- Reshoring of Supply Chains: Relief might encourage a reshoring of supply chains, ensuring greater support for plants in Michigan and Ohio.
- Export Competitiveness: Lower retaliatory tariffs from trading partners could enhance Ford's international sales.
In a separate report, Americans in Warren, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, weigh the implications of Trump's new tariff policies. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick believes the president is establishing "an important partnership" with domestic automakers and American workers.
[1] April 2025 Order: https://someurl.com/trade-details
Video: Democrats advocating for 'cheap labor exploitation': Michigan autoworkers debate Trump tariffs
FOX Business' Christina Shaw provided contributions to this report.
- In a joint commendation, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Secretary Howard Lutick of Commerce praised President Donald Trump for his efforts that could transform the American automotive industry.
- The relief from auto tariffs, as approved by Trump, could potentially soften production costs for U.S.-assembled vehicles at Ford, such as the Super Duty, the new Expedition, and Navigator, as it lessens tariffs on imported components like electronics and steel.
- This relief may also incentivize the reshoring of supply chains, benefiting plants in Michigan and Ohio by ensuring greater support for American manufacturing, a belief that Ford has long upheld.
- Moreover, Trump's tariff policy could make Ford more competitive in the international market by reducing retaliatory tariffs from trading partners.
- As Trump's new tariff policies are met with varying opinions across the nation, a report from Warren, Michigan, indicates that the president's partnership with domestic automakers and American workers could be essential to changing the landscape of the automobile industry and other related sectors, such as technology and lifestyle, in the coming years.
