President Donald Trump tried to take credit for an announcement from Ford that is going to create 900 new jobs at an auto manufacturing plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, and was brutally fact checked on social media. Those jobs, you see, were announced when Barack Obama was still president.
On Twitter Wednesday, Trump posted this:
Great news from @Ford! They are investing nearly $1 BILLION in Flat Rock, Michigan for auto production on top of a $1 BILLION investment last month in a facility outside of Chicago. Companies are pouring back into the United States – they want to be where the action is!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 20, 2019
Problem is, the initial announcement of those jobs came on January 3, 2017, when Obama was still president. As the Detroit News reported at the time:
Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it is canceling plans to establish a $1.6 billion in plant in Mexico to build the Ford Focus. It plans to invest $700 million at its Flat Rock Assembly Plant and create 700 new jobs in Michigan as it adds production of a new electric small SUV and a self-driving hybrid vehicle.
Ford’s announcement on Wednesday was merely a minor on that initial investment. The company is now planning to invest an additional $200 million in the plant and create an additional 200 jobs, according to the Associated Press.
And then there’s the larger issue of the auto industry under Trump. His ongoing trade war led to General Motors eliminating five production plants and eliminate 15,000 jobs. And that happened under Trump’s so-called leadership.
Twitter was quick to remind Trump that he’s merely riding Obama’s coattails, as usual:
Both investments were, at least in part, negotiated as part of the 2015 @UAW contract negotiations, which were finalized in the fall of 2015. In that contract, F agreed to invest $900M in Chicago and $700M in Flat Rock. https://t.co/wOZdubxmsG
— Ian Thibodeau (@Ian_Thibodeau) March 20, 2019
Let’s see..Carrier left AFTER you said they wouldn’t. GM is closing plants, despite your bitching. Harley is moving overseas. US Steel is NOT opening 6 new plants, like you said. & Ford is actually cutting its line to just trucks, mustangs & crossovers. Hmm..so much winning, NOT!
— brsln (@brsln) March 20, 2019
Both were planned and have been going on for the past 3-4 years.
— Michael Pressnell (@rewritten_love) March 21, 2019
Companies are NOT pouring back into the US. You say this anytime time ONE company takes a chance to expand, yet you fail to mention ALL the others that left or have downsized. #TrumpIsADisgrace
— David Stegall (@thatstegallguy) March 21, 2019
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