A leader in an autoworkers’ union is enthusiastic about the prospect of Donald Trump’s tariffs bringing manufacturing back to America.
One of the primary goals of Trump’s tariffs, besides evening out a trading system where other countries impose extortionate tariffs on U.S. goods without reciprocal tariffs, is returning manufacturing to America. And that is exactly what one union leader believes will happen, particularly for the auto industry, which would create many more jobs for Americans.
Auto Workers for Trump founder Brian Pannebecker affirmed on Fox Business’s “The Evening Edit” Thursday, “I personally had no doubt. The man keeps his word. He did it during his first term, and he's doing it here in his second. And we're very happy for it.” He added of Trump, “As a matter of fact, his support built every election and got stronger.”
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Pannebecker said Kamala Harris would have been an awful president for the auto industry.
“She [Kamala Harris] wanted to ban the internal combustion engine,” he explained. “That means, basically, get rid of the auto industry and turn it over to China… now even Shawn Fain, the socialist president of the UAW, has gotten on board. So he's late to the game. But we're glad to see him supporting Donald Trump.”
Trump on Wednesday announced new tariffs on auto imports during a press conference at the White House, saying he will impose a 25% tariff on all imported autos, up from 2.5% previously. He indicated the auto tariffs will take effect on April 2, when his reciprocal tariff plans are also expected to be announced.
Auto industry workers are optimistic about the future now.
“If necessary, they can build a new plant in under a year. The tooling now is pretty much interchangeable,” Pannebecker told Fox Business. “They change over to new models on the fly. So a lot of the technology allows them to do that very quickly, and they have the excess capacity to do it.”
He scoffed at naysayers.
“When you hear people like [Ford’s] Jim Farley say, ‘Well, you know, we don't want to have to do that, and it would be really costly,’ those are just excuses and bluster,” Pannebecker claimed.
He added, “But the fact remains, if they're going to be using robotics in the new technology and automation, we want it done on this side of the border, not south of the border in Mexico. So we'll take whatever jobs they have. Detroit is still the Motor City, and we want every auto job, every vehicle that's sold in the United States, we want to build it.”
From Fox Business:
[Pannebecker] also reflected on how Trump kept a personal promise, after Pannebecker allegedly brought forth information from a high-level whistleblower at Chrysler-owned Stellantis who opposed a plan to move production to Mexico after the current UAW contract expires in 2027.
“A whistleblower came to me and asked me to get that information to President Trump. He was a very high [up] vice president at Stellantis,” he stated. “I announced that at a rally on stage with President Trump, and he told me after that rally, 'Brian, I'm not going to allow that to happen.' And he has kept his promise.” Promises made, promises kept.
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