WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump said Monday afternoon he is "not happy" with General Motors' decision to close plants in Detroit and Ohio and said he is putting "a lot of pressure" on the company to reverse course.
Trump made the comments prior to taking off for rallies to be held later Monday in Mississippi. General Motors announced earlier in the day that it would be closing assembly plants in Detroit-Hamtramck and Lordstown, Ohio, along with transmission plants in Warren, Mich., and the Baltimore area.
"We don't like it," Trump said of the news, then added, "I believe they'll be opening up something else," though he didn't offer any explanation.
He said that he was "very tough" with GM CEO Mary Barra when speaking with her after the announcement. Barra was also expected to speak to White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow following the announcement earlier Monday.
"I spoke with her when I heard they were closing," Trump said in response to a reporter's question specifically about the Lordstown closure. "And I said, 'You know, this country has done a lot for General Motors. You better get back in there soon. That's Ohio, and you better get back in there soon.' "
"I spoke to her and I expressed the fact that I am not happy with what she did," Trump continued.
Trump ran for office in 2016 on a message of protecting and creating manufacturing jobs _ and especially auto jobs _ and threatening companies that moved or produced vehicles outside of the country. Since taking office, he has threatened tariffs on imported autos though so far he has held off on imposing them. Some critics say the trade moves he has made have pushed costs up, however.
Trump said he didn't believe that the threat of tariffs had anything to do with the decision.
Speaking before getting on Marine One, Trump said, "We have a lot of pressure on them. You have senators, you have a lot of other people _ a lot of pressure. They say the Chevy Cruze is not selling well. I say, 'Well, then get ... a car that is selling well and put it back in.' "
"I think you're going to see something else happen there," Trump continued, presumably speaking about Lordstown assembly. "But I'm not happy about it. ... I have no doubt that, in a not too distant future, they'll put something else (in). They better put something else in."
