World Post
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned Ford Motor Company about maintaining ‘questionable foreign alliances’ with Chinese companies amid calls from the Trump administration to increase American manufacturing. In a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Duffy criticized recent deals with China-backed auto manufacturers, stating Ford ‘fails to act as a reliable partner’ to the American public. Duffy’s letter, dated September 3, highlighted Ford’s reliance on Chinese state-backed enterprises, including technology from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited, which is on the Defense Department’s banned list.
He also criticized a new deal with Geely Auto to build zero-emission vehicles in Spain, arguing it prolongs reliance on Chinese manufacturing. Ford responded sharply, calling Duffy’s letter ‘error-filled’ and ‘wrongheaded,’ asserting it produces more vehicles and employs more American workers than any other automaker. The company announced plans to move Lincoln model manufacturing from China to the U.S. by 2030, though Duffy noted this leaves a four-year window of continued reliance on Chinese supply chains, risking job losses for skilled American workers.
Ford defended its battery operations in Michigan, stating they are fully owned and operated by the company, and reiterated support for the Trump administration’s vision for American manufacturing.
