China, in his words · 2024 campaign · № 96
Threatens 100% tariff on cars from Chinese plants in Mexico
“Let me tell you something to China. If you're listening, President Xi, and you and I are friends, but he understands the way I deal, those big monster car manufacturing plants that you're building in Mexico right now, and you think you're going to get that, you're going to not hire Americans and you're going to sell the cars to us, we're going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you're not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected.”
- Said
- , Rally in Vandalia, Ohio
- Subject
- Chinese car plants in Mexico
- Threat
- Economic threat
- Topic
- Trade & tariffs
- Era
- 2024 campaign
What the record showed
His next words were: "Now, if I don't get elected, it's going to be a bloodbath." He added that Chinese companies could build plants in Michigan, Ohio or South Carolina using American workers. BYD, which said in February 2024 it was considering a factory in Mexico, halted its site search later that year and put the plan on hold in July 2025, citing geopolitical uncertainty. In January 2026 Trump said at the Detroit Economic Club that he would welcome Chinese automakers manufacturing in the U.S.; as of May 2026 Chinese automakers faced 100% U.S. tariffs and had no retail presence in the country, CNBC reported.