US EditionMichigan governor says North America free trade deal critical for US auto production
Whitmer called for extending the USMCA to support integrated North American auto supply chains and counter rising Chinese competition threatening U.S. manufacturing jobs.
- On Jan. 15, 2026, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said it is critical the administration extend the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year and warned China is a primary competitive threat.
- Because parts cross borders multiple times, Whitmer said the tariff strategy has hurt U.S. auto manufacturing and benefits China, warning that harming U.S.-Canadian supply chains aids Chinese competition.
- Citing industry data, Whitmer pointed out U.S. manufacturing has contracted for nine months, with zero vehicles made from 100% U.S. parts and nearly 30,000 parts per vehicle.
- Calling for collaboration, she urged industry leaders and policymakers to reject isolation, adopt a strategic trade policy, and prioritize the Michigan Reconnect program and state budget for stability.
- With forecasts showing close to 17 million sales in 2026, major automakers urge Washington to extend trade protections and block Chinese-backed plants, warning the industry's future is at stake.
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39 Articles
Trump claims all the U.S. automakers are ‘doing great.’ Gretchen Whitmer says ‘this will only get worse without a serious shift’
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered a contrasting view of manufacturing in Detroit Thursday, two days after President Donald Trump defended his tariff strategy in the Motor City. Whitmer, a term-limited Democrat who is in her last year as governor, said in a speech at the Detroit Auto Show that the administration’s tariff strategy has hurt American auto manufacturing and is benefiting Chinese competitors. It’s a message she has repeated over …
Governor Whitmer blasts tariff strategy in Auto Show speech
It was a big moment on Thursday for the governor as she took in the sights and sounds of the auto show, while also talked about the major headwinds facing the auto industry, including tariffs and the mandatory review of the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, or USMCA, which replaced NAFTA.
Associated Press News
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warns of worsening auto industry under Trump's tariff strategy
In a tale of two speeches, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has offered a rebuttal to President Donald Trump's defense of his tariff policies, made just days before by the president in Detroit.
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