Donald Trump, the former U.S. president and Republican presidential candidate, announced that if re-elected, he will take measures within two weeks of his inauguration to revive the domestic automobile industry, including imposing high tariffs on Chinese and Mexican cars.
On the 4th (local time), Trump appeared on the conservative Fox News program 'Sunday Morning Futures' and said, "By reviving the automobile industry, we will have more auto-related jobs than ever before," adding, "We will achieve this through tariffs."
He pointed out, "Right now, Joe Biden is trying to exempt tariffs on Chinese cars. He only wants to impose taxes (tariffs) on electric vehicles, but that is not enough." He continued, "Through tariffs on Chinese cars, we will produce more cars in the U.S. than ever before," adding, "It will happen very quickly."
Trump claimed that if Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris wins, the automobile industry, which is the foundation of the battleground state of Michigan, will disappear within two years. He said, "The people of Michigan who love me and whom I love will bring us victory," explaining, "Because their automobile industry will not last more than two years if she (Harris) is elected." He also warned, "(If Harris is elected) China and other countries will make all the cars," adding, "They are building the largest automobile factories."
Furthermore, Trump pointed to Mexico as the reason for the annual erosion of the automobile manufacturing industry, saying, "Mexico has stolen 32% of our automobile manufacturing," and confirmed, "We will say, 'Do you want that? We will impose tariffs on imported cars.'"
When asked whether he would implement all these policies within the first 100 days after inauguration, Trump replied, "I’ll get that done in less than one hundred days. I’ll get that done in the first two weeks." Previously, he had pledged to impose a universal 10% tariff on all imports and high tariffs of over 60% on Chinese products if re-elected.
In this interview, Trump also reiterated the slogan "Drill, baby, drill," confirming his plan to make the U.S. an energy-dominant country on the global stage. When asked how his economic policies differ from Vice President Harris’s, he said, "I will focus heavily on energy," claiming that he would significantly lower energy prices and thereby alleviate other issues including inflation. The "Drill, baby, drill" message means completely lifting restrictions on energy development such as oil and gas drilling to reduce energy prices.
Trump said, "We have more liquid gold beneath our feet than Saudi Arabia, Russia, or anyone else," adding, "We will take the lead in energy, make tremendous money, and supply Europe and the world." He claimed that oil drilling expansion could increase production two to three times. He repeatedly emphasized, "We will have tremendous energy and lower energy prices."
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