Former President Donald Trump declared today that he supports auto workers striking for higher wages but warned that their jobs will be lost within three years because of President Biden’s electric vehicle mandate.
Trump, 77, slammed the 80-year-old president’s promotion of electric vehicles as “government murder” against the US auto industry, as he appealed to union members in a keynote address at Drake Enterprises — an auto parts manufacturer outside Detroit — to urge their leaders to support his 2024 presidential campaign.
“To the striking workers, I support you and your goal of fair wages and greater stability, and I sincerely hope you get a fair deal for yourself and your family,” Trump said. “But if your union leaders aren’t going to demand that Crooked Joe repeal his electric vehicle mandate immediately, then it doesn’t matter what hourly wage you get.”
“It doesn’t make a bit of difference because in two to three years, you won’t have a single job in the state,” he added.
Former President Donald Trump delivered a speech blaspheming the electric vehicle mandate in Michigan Wednesday night.Getty Images
Trump, who skipped the second Republican primary debate as he now appears to be looking ahead to his GOP rivals, touted his track record of protecting American workers and jobs and outlined his “vision for the revival of economic nationalism and the heart of our auto manufacturing” during the rally, which was attended by more than 500 auto workers, plumbers, plumbers and electricians, according to his campaign.
Several people in the non-union facility held “Union Members for Trump” signs as the former president asked for their support in the battleground state.
“The things you’re doing in Michigan, they don’t need it,” Trump said, accusing Biden of “selling out” to China, environmentalists and the “radical left.”
“On day one I will end Joe Biden’s electric vehicle mandate,” the 2024 GOP presidential front-runner said.
Another big part of Trump’s speech will be against President Biden’s rapid push for electric vehicle manufacturing, “which is a big reason why union members are upset,†Cheung said.Reuters
The White House aims for 50% of all new vehicle production to be electric by 2030, and has implemented measures to accelerate the transition. In April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released historically strict federal vehicle emissions standards that could result in electric vehicles accounting “for 67% of new light vehicle sales” by 2032.
Members of the United Auto Workers have expressed concern in their demands about the changing landscape of the industry — in part due to the push for electric vehicles, which require less labor.
Despite the opposition, Biden himself joined the strikers in the Michigan picket line on Tuesday – for 12 minutes.
The Republican presidential front-runner has repeatedly blasted Biden over his electric vehicle policy, arguing on Social Truth that the EV mandate would “destroy the US auto industry and cost countless thousands of auto workers their jobs.†Reuters
“Yesterday, Joe Biden came to Michigan to be photographed on the picket line but it was his policies that sent Michigan auto workers to the unemployment line,” Trump said, accusing Biden of only visiting the picket line after he announced his Detroit-area rally.
“You need to come to your boss, Shawn,” Trump implored the crowd, referring to UAW President Shawn Fain. “I’ve watched him on television – he’s a good guy. I think he’s a good guy. But he must, in fact, he must support Trump.”
Before Trump’s hard line on EVs, the former president had offered support for their production, saying in a 2020 debate against Biden that he was “all for electric cars” and that he had “given big incentives for electric cars.”
In 2019, Trump supported General Motors’ plan to sell their Lordstown, Ohio manufacturing plant to Workhorse to produce electric trucks.
“GREAT NEWS FOR OHIO! Just spoke with Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, who informed me that, subject to the UAW agreement etc., GM will sell their beautiful Lordstown Plant to Workhorse, where they plan to build Electric Trucks,” Trump tweeted at that time.
In 2020, Trump hosted an event at the White House celebrating Lordstown Motors’ new electric pickup truck, calling it an “incredible vehicle.” Lordstown Motors filed for bankruptcy last June.
“President Trump is 100% opposed to the draconian Biden administration’s mandate that forces a rapid and reckless transition to electric vehicles far beyond what consumers want, what workers can accept, what manufacturers can afford, and what our infrastructure can withstand,” a campaign spokesperson said. Trump. Steven Cheung told The Post. “President Trump has never mandated anything. He is for consumer choice and the protection of American auto workers, and always has been. Joe Biden is for his brutal government orders that stab union workers in the back and kill their jobs to ship the auto industry to China.”
“Saying you’re for electric vehicles is not the same as saying you’re for the mandate,” added the Trump ally.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/