President Donald Trump expressed his displeasure with General Motors via his National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow during a meeting with reporters Tuesday morning.
Kudlow met with GM CEO Marry Barra Monday after the company’s announcement that it would slash thousands of jobs across the United States and close several factories. The company noted that nearly 14,000 jobs would be affected and that plants in Ohio, Michigan, Maryland and Canada.
The GM logo is seen at the General Motors Warren Transmission Operations Plant in Warren, Michigan October 26, 2015. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook/File Photo
“We are taking these actions now while the company and the economy are strong to stay in front of a fast-changing market,” Barra said in her announcement.
The president told reporters Monday afternoon that he had spoken with Barra before the announcement, saying, “I spoke to her, and I stressed the fact that I am not happy with what she did.”
Kudlow elaborated that the White House was not only disappointed in GM’s decision but that much of the feeling in the building verged on “anger.”
General Motors’ Chevrolet hybrid vehicles including the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (L), the Chevy Silverado Hybrid (C), and the Chevy Malibu Hybrid are seen during the Los Angeles Auto Show in Los Angeles, California November 14, 2007. (REUTERS/Danny Moloshok)
The NEC Director continued that the White House felt especially spurned by GM because of the efforts the administration took in soliciting feedback from car companies during the re-negotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The new agreement, known as the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement (USMCA) was rolled out by President Donald Trump in early October.
“We think we helped them in the North American deal,” Kudlow said. Trump elaborated to reporters Monday evening that “for her to take that company out of Ohio is not good. I think she’s going to put something back in soon.” Kudlow could not elaborate on what exactly GM would be adding back into Ohio.