'If They Have Factories Here They're Thrilled': Trump Describes Big 3 Automakers Reaction To Tariffs

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Trump discussed the response of the Big 3 automakers to his new auto tariffs.

Transcript

00:00No, I haven't

00:03Sir with the big three automakers about these tariffs, what was their reaction?

00:09It depends on whether or not they have factories here. I can tell you if if they have factories here, they're thrilled

00:16if you don't have factories here, they're gonna have to get going and build them because otherwise they have to pay tariffs very simple and

00:22Most of those have pretty big factories here like General Motors has big factories here

00:26They're gonna move their parts divisions back to the United States because some of them were made in Canada and some of them were

00:32Made in Mexico and other places

00:34They'll be moving their parts division back to the United States in factories where they may be at 60%

00:40Capacity, so they don't even really have to build too much of a factory

00:43But you know generally speaking if they have factories here plants here where they make their cars and equipment

00:50But they make their cars here

00:52They are thrilled

00:54same thing with the steel industry steel industry is now paying a 25% tariff as you know, I put it on last week and

01:01The business is roaring in the United States and we can't because of military

01:05We can't lose the steel industry if I didn't put the initial tariffs on steel in my first term

01:10You wouldn't be able to have a military because we wouldn't have every steel company every steel

01:16Company would be bankrupt in the United States and every plant would be closed

01:22But now they're booming and putting this tariff on this additional tariff for steel and aluminum

01:27It's it's making them thrive and it's already happening