It doesn’t matter if General Motors has a poor strategy for Europe, Ford actually has no strategy at all, and Stellantis is just Stellantis—which means it’s no longer American, nor is it truly Italian anymore. According to Donald Trump, it’s all Europe’s fault.
In a fiery rally in Pennsylvania, the Republican presidential candidate revisited his long-held concerns about economic protectionism, criticizing Europe for what he sees as an unfair trade relationship. With the 2024 U.S. presidential election hours away from concluding, Trump doubled down on his accusations against Europe, particularly European car manufacturers, stating, “They’re ripping us off. They send us their cars and don’t buy our Chevrolets.” His message resonated with his supporters as he vowed, “I’ll put an end to this.”.
Trump’s accusations against Europe
Trump’s criticism of European trade policies, especially in the auto sector, reflected his familiar rhetoric on foreign trade. Addressing the crowd, he condemned the current U.S. leadership as “incompetent” in handling economic negotiations, allowing “even so-called friendly countries to take advantage of us.” He particularly emphasized Europe, which he said, “is tearing us apart.” According to Trump, European nations flood the U.S. market with millions of cars from brands like Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen, while “buying none of our products in return.” (is it our fault if Ford decided to separate European products from American ones?).
Trump shared an anecdote from a few years prior, where he reportedly questioned then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel about the number of Chevrolet cars in Berlin, to which she supposedly responded that there were “none.” Trump continued, “I asked her if she thought that was fair, and she had to agree. They’re ripping us off, and we’re going to put an end to it.”
Despite Trump’s insistence, industry experts note that General Motors, Chevrolet’s parent company, voluntarily pulled its brands from the European market several years ago, opting to focus on North American and other strategic regions. Nevertheless, Trump attributes the lack of American cars in Europe to what he sees as one-sided policies benefiting Europe. And actually, Chevrolet Blazer is one of the cars we would like to see in Europe!
Elon Musk’s support and controversial “Lottery”
In a surprising twist, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has become an outspoken supporter of Trump, particularly in swing states. Musk’s recent initiative includes a so-called “lottery” aimed at Trump supporters in these crucial states. Launched on October 19, the contest requires participants to sign a petition supporting free speech and gun rights. While Musk has touted the contest as a chance to win $1 million, critics like Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner have raised concerns about its transparency.
Trump’s legal team clarified that the contest’s main prize involves the selected winner becoming a spokesperson for Trump’s political agenda rather than a monetary award, though $16 million has reportedly already been allocated to winners. On November 5, Pennsylvania Judge Angelo Foglietta upheld the lottery’s legality, clearing it to conclude during Trump’s final rally in Michigan.
