Auto Dealers React to President’s Decision to Label Imported Autos and Parts a National Security Threat
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Today's Order Creates More Uncertainty for Industry
Alexandria, VA (May 17, 2019) – The American International Automobile Dealers Association (AIADA) has released a statement in response to today’s proclamation by President Trump labeling imported vehicles and parts a threat to national security and issuing a 180-day window for addressing these threats with U.S. trading partners:
“The truth stands: imported autos and auto parts are simply not a national security threat," said AIADA President and CEO Cody Lusk. "Using this spurious claim as justification to force our trading partners into new negotiations will only create more uncertainty for America’s entire auto industry, including our country’s 9,600 international nameplate dealers and the 578,000 Americans they employ.
“If President Trump follows through on his threat to place 25 percent tariffs on imported autos and auto parts, he will be directly responsible for a drastic tax increase on American consumers, which could result in a loss of 2 million vehicle sales and jeopardize up to 700,000 American jobs.”
For more on the positive impact America’s international nameplate dealers have on our economy visit www.AIADA.org.
President Trump Says: He directed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to seek agreements to "address the threatened impairment" of national security from auto imports. Trump could choose to move forward with tariffs during the talks.
"United States defense and military superiority depend on the competitiveness of our automobile industry and the research and development that industry generates," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. "The negotiation process will be led by United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and, if agreements are not reached within 180 days, the President will determine whether and what further action needs to be taken."
The White House had to decide by Saturday whether to slap duties on autos.
AAPC Statement on Section 232
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Matt Blunt, president of the American Automotive Policy Council, today issued the following statement on the Section 232 report:
“The U.S. auto sector is critical to our country’s economic vitality. We will continue to urge the administration to reject imposing higher auto tariffs under Section 232. These imposed tariffs would weaken global competitiveness and invite retaliation from our trading partners, which could harm jobs and investment in the U.S.”
The American Automotive Policy Council (AAPC) is a Washington, D.C. association that represents the common public policy interests of its member companies FCA US LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Company.