Navarro states that GM's warning on US tariffs is "Smoke and mirrors"



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An associate of President Donald Trump has described as "smoke and mirrors" the complaints filed by General Motors and other American companies about the impact of US tariffs on their operations. .

Photographer: Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg [19659004LescommentairesduconseillercommercialdelaMaison-BlanchePeterNavarroontsuivil'avertissementsévèredeGMàl'administrationTrumpvendrediselonlequelellepourraitréduirelesopérationsaméricainesetréduirelesemploissilestarifsdouaniersétaientlargementappliquésauxvéhiculesimportésetauxpiècesautomobilesGMpluspetituneprésenceréduiteàlamaisonetrisquemoins-pasplus-desemploisaméricains"leplusgrandconstructeurautomobiledelanationadéclarédanslescommentaires submitted Friday to the Department of Commerce [19659005] a blunt statement came from GM – a company led by a CEO, Mary Barra, whose normal edge is to avoid political fray and let trade groups address the policies of the president – was surprising to the industry observers.And she stressed to which point itself, and many industry leaders, believe that the stakes are as follows when the president plunges the United States into tit-to-tat commercial wrangling around the world. GM's public statement follows similar steps by Harley-Davidson Inc., Toyota Motor Corp. and Daimler AG.

"The comment suggests how serious the impact would be for GM, its employees and consumers," said Michelle Krebs, an analyst at AutoTrader.com. "GM, the auto industry and the economy as a whole are at stake."

Where GM gets its cars

About 40% of US sales this year will be imported vehicles

Source: LMC Automotive

Navarro replied to GM on Saturday in an interview on CNN, saying that the car company used "smoke and mirrors" to deceive the public. He said that the impact of the rates on the price of a GM car was equivalent to "a luxury floor mat."

& # 39; Assembly Plants & # 39;

"Even GM cars built here, about half of the contents are foreign" Navarro He added that US factories had become "assembly factories" assembling components manufactured elsewhere.

Navarro added that Trump, after imposing a tax break on companies like GM and Harley, "felt betrayed". jobs outside the United States in response to foreign retaliatory measures at Trump's tariffs.

That echoed a tweet from Trump on Wednesday directed at Harley-Davidson: "I did so much for you, and then"

Trump ordered an investigation into whether imports Cars pose risks to national security last month under a section of the same 1960s trade law that imposed levies on steel and aluminum. told reporters on board Air Force One on Friday afternoon that he expected the Commerce Department to complete the investigation "in three or four weeks", was he added. "

Under the Commerce Act, the Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, has until February to conclude the investigation. But Trump wants the investigation to be completed before the mid-term elections in November so he can use the tariffs to his political advantage.

The survey worries manufacturers, parts suppliers and automotive retailers because all the major automakers – including GM and Ford Motor Co. – import a significant share of the vehicles that they have. they sell to the United States from other countries. Samples on parts would also have major implications for high-end models such as the Ford F-150 pickup and the Toyota Camry sedan by raising prices by thousands of dollars

Read more: Toyota Camry face a cost increase of $ 1800

2.8% – to $ 39.40 – in New York, and has now posted three consecutive weekly declines, the longest run since March.

GM's message was a surprise because the company kept close contact with the Trump administration, James Albertine, an analyst at Consumer's Edge Research, told Bloomberg TV: "This was a little shocked, "he said," because we thought they were working more to make sure that the administration knew the severity of the impact of the tariffs. would have. "

Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky / Bloomberg

Barra had previously tried to stay on good terms with Trump. She continued to participate in her Strategic and Policy Forum, even after several other CEOs, like Bob Iger of Walt Disney and Elon Musk of Tesla, resigned to protest Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. Last year. The forum was disbanded in August after Trump's lukewarm response to white supremacist attacks in Charlottesville, Virginia

Sales Crimped?

Now the Detroit-based Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC maker warns that additional rates – in addition to those recently stamped on steel, aluminum and Chinese products – could hurt GM and finally his customers. Higher prices would reduce sales, especially for less affluent consumers, and reduce the number of workers needed, she said.

If GM was trying to absorb the extra costs, it would have less money to invest in popular vehicles. "The threat of high tariffs on imports of vehicles and automotive components could compromise GM's competitiveness with foreign automakers by erecting general trade barriers that increase our overall costs," he added. , remove a key way to compete with manufacturers in low-wage countries, and promote a business environment in which we could retaliate in other markets, "said the company

Chevrolet Blazer [19659014] top-selling model imported from Mexico last year, while the Chevrolet Equinox crossover was the first vehicle from Canada, according to LMC Automotive

Just last week, GM announced plans to bring back the Chevy Blazer SUV later this year.The iconic American brand will be built in a factory in Mexico, a decision that triggered angry comments from the United Auto Workers union. UAW stated that GM sells 80% of its US-made vehicles

"GM imports a lot of pickup trucks from Mexico, so it's a huge problem," Alan Baum, an analyst at tomobile from West Bloomfield, Michigan, said. "And for the parts, it's not just GM." Everyone imports a lot of electronics from Asia, these are valuable pieces. "

– With the help of Sarah Gardner and Jenny Leonard

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