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Washington (AFP) – Donald Trump Tuesday threatened to hit the General Motors portfolio, which angered the US president by announcing the removal of thousands of industrial jobs in politically crucial states.
"Very disappointed by General Motors," tweeted the president. "The United States has saved General Motors and here are the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS we have! We are looking at the removal of all subsidies, including for electric cars," he added.
The country's largest automaker said in a statement that its restructuring was a way to preserve the future to "keep and grow American jobs".
He also recalled having invested $ 22 billion in production in the United States since 2009 and the bailout funded by the US taxpayer.
"We appreciate the actions of this administration on behalf of the industry to improve the competitiveness of the US industry," adds the company as an olive branch.
Donald Trump has not been off the hook since GM's announcement on Monday to cut thousands of jobs in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland.
The billionaire had built his campaign on the promise of the return of industrial jobs in the United States and his surprise victory was obtained largely thanks to the votes in the States where globalization has caused a devastating deindustrialization.
Trump, who is already actively campaigning for his reelection in 2020, will need these votes again.
"I'm here to protect the American Workers!", He promised on Twitter.
His spokesperson, Sarah Sanders, has hit the nail.
"The president has completely invested in the return of industrial jobs in the United States, and that is why since he took office we have seen the creation of 400,000 new industrial jobs in the United States", did she say.
"Frankly, this story comes from the fact that they make a car that no one wants to buy, let's hope they will make adjustments and take back those employees," she added.
But, as usual, the president threatened without details.
Thus the subsidies for badistance to the purchase of electric cars benefit all the manufacturers of this type of vehicle and it seems unlikely that Mr. Trump could deprive the only customers of GM.
– Slimming cure –
General Motors announced Monday a severe weight loss, with thousands of job cuts, justifying this measure by the need to be more competitive in an industry in full revolution.
In total, in 2019, GM will eliminate 15% of the group's jobs by ceasing production at seven sites: one in Canada, four in the United States and two outside North America.
It is about saving six billion dollars by the end of 2020.
Some 12 to 13,000 jobs – which GM has not bothered to specify – are only concerned in the United States in areas where repeated auto crises have already done damage.
Canada is also affected. On Tuesday, Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared their "disappointment" with GM saying they were "worried" about the plight of the affected workers, the Canadian executive's office said.
The White House, a little later, succinctly confirmed the exchange between MM. Trump and Trudeau, evoking a "disappointment" shared by both men.
– To Texas? –
GM, like Ford, is betting on the all-electric car, the autonomous and connected vehicle but also on more conventional vehicles like pick-ups and SUVs, which Americans prefer by far to sedans.
Under the criticism of both the president and the Democratic opposition, including Senate leader Chuck Schumer, who spoke of "a punch in the belly of workers in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland," GM handed the points on the "i" a few hours after the new presidential badault.
"Many of the employees affected by the actions (announced the day before) will have the opportunity to work in other GM plants where we will need more employees to respond to the growth (sales) of pick-ups, vehicles crossover and SUV, "says the group's press release.
He underlines that the electrification of the automobile and the revolution of autonomy will also create jobs.
The announcement of General Motors goes bad because, for now, the group posts solid profits: $ 2.53 billion in the third quarter alone.
These results published on October 31 had delighted Wall Street, especially since GM had explained to have managed to increase the average price of its cars in North America, especially in the United States where its sales fell by 11%.
But the Detroit giant has improved margins, the average price of a vehicle, including large cars (pick-ups, city SUVs and crossovers), increased $ 800 over one year to $ 36,000. On average, it's $ 4,000 more than the price of competition, says GM.
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