At a Glance
- President Donald Trump toured the River Rouge plant in Dearborn, Michigan, to promote his manufacturing agenda.
- He praised F-150 production and claimed “all U.S. automakers are doing great.”
- New data showed inflation dipped in December, yet voters remain worried about living costs.
- Why it matters: The swing-state visit aims to counter economic anxieties ahead of midterm elections.
President Donald Trump used a Michigan factory floor and a Detroit casino stage Tuesday to sell his economic record, even as fresh inflation data and recent election losses underscored persistent voter anxiety about rising prices.
The president’s motorcade rolled into Ford’s century-old River Rouge complex shortly after noon. Inside the sprawling plant, assembly lines build F-150 pickups-the nation’s top-selling domestic vehicle-at a pace of roughly one truck rolling off every 52 seconds. Trump donned safety goggles, strolled past half-built chassis, and paused to watch workers install the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine that powers both gas and hybrid models.
Plant Floor Pitch
Flanked by gleaming silver cabs, Trump chatted with employees in reflective vests. Several clapped when he arrived; one handed him a yellow “Built Ford Tough” hat. Executive chairman Bill Ford guided the tour, pointing out the Raptor off-road variant and explaining how the plant stamps, welds, and paints nearly all major components on site.
“All U.S. automakers are doing great,” Trump told reporters. “The quality is unbelievable.”
He cited his administration’s decision to maintain tariffs on foreign auto parts through 2030, a move Ford lobbied for to protect domestic suppliers. He also reiterated that steep levies on Chinese-made vehicles will stay, saying he expects the Supreme Court to uphold the broader tariff regime.
Casino Rally
After the tour, the president’s entourage headed to the MotorCity Casino for a lunchtime speech to the Detroit Economic Club. Behind a backdrop of American flags and gleaming chrome, Trump declared, “This is the easiest speech to make-I’m just spitting out what the hell we’ve done.”
He ticked through statistics: unemployment at a 50-year low, manufacturing jobs up 400,000 since 2017, and December inflation easing to 0.3% month-over-month. “Right now I’m feeling pretty good,” he said.
Voter Skepticism
Yet recent electoral returns suggest voters aren’t sold. Republicans lost governorships in Virginia and New Jersey last November, exit polls showing 62% of voters ranked the economy as their top concern. The White House promised Trump will travel more to “talk directly to the public,” but Democrats pounced on the Michigan swing.
Curtis Hertel, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, released a statement while Trump was still inside the plant: “After spending months claiming that affordability was a ‘hoax,’ Donald Trump is now coming to Detroit-a city he hates-to tout his billionaire-first agenda while working families suffer.”
Policy Flashpoints
The administration’s rollback of EV incentives is already reshaping corporate plans. Ford said in December it will scrap an all-electric F-150, citing weakened federal mileage rules and the end of $7,500 tax credits. The company still plans $50 billion in broader electrification spending, but production timelines are now tied to consumer demand rather than federal mandates.
Trump, who once labeled USMCA the “greatest trade deal ever,” struck a different tone Tuesday, calling the pact “irrelevant” because “we already got what we needed.” The agreement faces mandatory review this year.
Fed Feud
The visit unfolded as the Justice Department pursues a criminal probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a move Powell labels an assault on central-bank independence. Asked about the investigation on the White House lawn, Trump repeated his standard critique that Powell is “too slow” on rates but declined further comment.
Inflation Data Drop
Just before departure, the Labor Department released December figures: consumer prices rose 0.3%, matching November’s pace, while gas and used-car costs fell. Annual inflation dipped to 2.9%, its lowest since 2021. Trump seized on the numbers, telling reporters, “We have very low inflation…growth is going up. We have tremendous growth numbers.”
Swing-State Circuit
Michigan marks Trump’s third economy-focused trip to a battleground state in four weeks. In Pennsylvania he spoke at Mount Airy Casino Resort, where immigration remarks overshadowed inflation talk. In North Carolina he argued tariffs have “revved up” factories, though residents told local stations higher prices on steel and aluminum have hit small businesses.
Trump carried Michigan in 2016 and 2024, lost it narrowly to Joe Biden in 2020, and used an April rally outside Detroit to mark his first 100 days. At that event he announced Selfridge Air National Guard Base would host a new fighter-jet mission, sharing a stage-and a hug-with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Democratic Counter
National Republicans oppose extending expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire this year. Democrats note Trump told the Detroit Economic Club in October 2024 that if Democrats retained the White House, “our whole country will end up being like Detroit…You’re going to have a mess on your hands.”
Hertel’s statement concluded: “Michiganders are feeling the effects of Trump’s economy every day.”
Key Takeaways
- The president is betting factory tours and tariff talk will blunt voter anger over grocery and gas bills.
- Ford’s pivot away from the electric F-150 shows how quickly federal policy can reshape corporate strategy.
- Inflation may be cooling, but swing-state voters will decide in November whether the economic narrative matches their lived experience.
