Depeche – Trump threatens to cut "subsidies" to General Motors after social plan



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WASHINGTON (AFP) –

Donald Trump Tuesday threatened to "remove all subsidies" granted to the manufacturer General Motors, 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.

Donald Trump has not been off the hook since Monday's announcement of the first US automaker 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.

– Slimming cure –

General Motors announced Monday a severe weight loss cure, with thousands of job cuts, justifying the announcement by the need to be more competitive in an industry in full revolution.

In total, GM will cut 15% of the group's jobs in 2019, 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 – that GM has not bothered to specify – are concerned in the United States alone in areas where repeated auto crises have already done damage.

"The steps we are taking today allow us to continue our transformation to be more agile, resilient and profitable," said CEO Mary Barra, who is betting on the all-electric car, the autonomous and connected vehicle, but also on More classic vehicles like pick-ups and SUVs, which Americans prefer by far to sedans.

Ford has also chosen to focus its efforts on these vehicles that can achieve better margins.

– To Texas? –

Under the criticism of both the president and the Democratic opposition, including the leader of the Senate, Chuck Schumer, who spoke of "a punch in the belly of workers from Ohio, Michigan and Maryland," GM denied that he relocated to China the models which he abandons the manufacture in the United States to reimport them.

The group also pointed out that there was still a lot of presence in Ohio, not only in terms of direct jobs but also work provided to hundreds of subcontractors.

Larry Kudlow, the president's chief economic adviser, said Barra, whom he met at length on Monday, said "the possibility of transferring employees elsewhere in Texas or Michigan."

The announcement of General Motors goes badly because at the moment, the group posts solid profits ($ 2.53 billion in the third quarter).

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% to 694,638 units in the third quarter.

But the giant Detroit has improved margins, the average price of a vehicle, including large cars (pickups, city SUV and crossovers), having increased $ 800 over one year to $ 36,000. On average, it's $ 4,000 more than the price of competition, says GM.

Demand was particularly high for the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the Denali SUV.

© 2018 AFP

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