GM CEO Meets With Trump Amid Tariff Dispute: White House

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, President Donald Trump held a meeting with General Motors CEO Mary Barra to discuss the company’s investment strategies in light of the continuing tariff dispute, according to a statement from a White House representative.

The previous week, Trump consented to grant an exemption from his stringent 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico to automobile manufacturers for a period of one month. This was provided these companies adhere to current free-trade regulations following discussions involving himself and executives including Mary Barra, the head of GM; Jim Farley, CEO at Ford; and John Elkann, chairman of Stellantis.

On Thursday, Trump informed journalists that GM had stopped by on Wednesday with plans to invest "$60 billion," according to them.

On Thursday, GM had not yet provided immediate comments regarding the meeting, and it remains unclear over which timeframe any additional expenditures might take place. Automotive companies have informed the White House that they require clarity concerning tariffs and vehicle emission regulations before they can implement substantial modifications to their North American investment strategies.

This week, Trump introduced significantly increased tariffs on steel and aluminum, affecting approximately $150 billion worth of goods derived from these materials, including items such as vehicles and bulldozer blades.

The metal tariffs were raised to result in an effective hike of 25%, once the previous exemptions, exclusions, and quotas had lapsed.

The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents the Big Three Detroit automakers, highlighted that domestic manufacturers primarily buy their steel and aluminum from within the U.S. or North America. However, they expressed worries that "eliminating exceptions solely for Canada and Mexico would impose substantial additional expenses on our suppliers."

Last week, Stellantis informed its dealers that they are ready to collaborate with Trump "to facilitate additional investments in our US manufacturing presence. However, we require time to implement these adjustments without adversely affecting our operations or our clients."

Trump has similarly warned about imposing retaliatory tariffs starting April 2nd, which might significantly increase the expenses for cars brought into the country from Japan, South Korea, and Europe.

Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have told automakers in meetings they want the industry to move more assembly and parts production to the United States.

(Reported by David Shepardson; edited by Diane Craft)