Trump Open to Chinese Automakers Building Cars in US

President Donald Trump said he would not oppose Chinese automakers opening manufacturing plants in the United States, provided they build vehicles domestically and employ American workers.

“If China wanted to come in and open a plant to build their cars here, I’d be okay with that,” Trump said Friday during an interview on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle.”

Trump compared the potential arrangement with Japanese automakers operating U.S. factories, emphasizing job creation as a key consideration. However, he said he opposes Chinese companies manufacturing vehicles in Mexico and exporting them into the U.S. market.

“I’m not knocking Chinese cars,” Trump added.

His comments come ahead of a planned meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington in two weeks and amid strong resistance from U.S. lawmakers and major automakers to Chinese vehicle imports.

Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, recently warned about reports suggesting Trump could allow Chinese cars into the U.S. as part of a broader agreement with Beijing. Trump dismissed the claim as a “total phony rumor” and said his administration had kept Chinese vehicles out of the country.

Chinese automakers currently face significant barriers to entering the U.S. market. A regulation introduced under former President Joe Biden in early 2025 effectively prohibits Chinese manufacturers from selling or producing passenger vehicles in the United States. Washington also imposes tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese electric vehicles.

Meanwhile, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing major companies including General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Honda and Stellantis, has urged Congress to permanently block Chinese vehicles from the U.S. market.

The industry group wants lawmakers to approve legislation by the end of December.

Alliance CEO John Bozzella argued that Chinese automakers are flooding international markets with heavily subsidized vehicles containing connected software and hardware.

Trump’s comments suggest his administration could distinguish between Chinese-made vehicle imports and cars manufactured by Chinese companies inside the United States, particularly when domestic factories create American jobs.