Trump calls GM's CEO Mary Barra under pressure to reopen Ohio auto plant
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump strengthened his pressure on General Motors to re-open an Ohio manufacturing plant that recently closed and put 1,700 people out of work.
Trump's arm-twisting came in a number of separate tweets on Saturday and Sunday. He managed to stop his weekend at GM, with a tweet disclosing that he was expecting his frustrations in a conversation with the company's CEO, Mary Barra.
"I'm not happy it's closed when everything else in our country is BOOMING" Trump wrote. "I asked her to sell it or do something fast. She blamed the UAW Union – I don't care, I just want it open!"
The trade union is United Automobile Workers, which represents the employees who lost their jobs in Lordstown closure. Trump had previously told a UAW leader, David Green, to "get his act together and produce" for the Lordstown workers.
Green did not respond to a comment request Sunday, nor did GM.
GENERAL ENGINES SLASES More than 1[ads1],400 jobs at OHIO
Although he said he was talking to Barra, Trump asked GM to reopen his Lordstown factory or find another owner, insisting that the Detroit automaker " act quickly. "
He also blew GM up to the US and claimed "much better" car manufacturers come to the country.
Trump praised Toyota for his investment in the US in an apparent attempt to portray GM as less engaged in the home than Japan's automaker.
The Lordstown closure has become a hot-button issue in an area in Ohio that is expected to be critical to Trump if he seeks re-election as promised in 2020.
Trump ruled Ohio in the 2016 election, a victory that helped him win enough elections votes to bec Foreign Minister, despite losing the popular vote to Hillary Clinton.
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There may be a reason why Trump joined a coalition of Ohio lawmakers in efforts to get The Lordstown facility runs again. Gemini marked some of his most acute criticism of GM so far.
Trump has done several other American companies not to do more to help the country's economy, but his comments so far have been more bark than bite.
For example, he has released Apple to move most of its production from China to the United States, but the Silicon Valley company continues to make its iPhones and most other products abroad.
Ohio, Mike DeWine, a republican, last week expressed doubt GM will restore his Lordstown plant, but he said the car manufacturer stated that it is in talks with another company about using the site.
More than 16 million vehicles were made at the Lordstown factory during its 53-year history until GM closed it earlier this month as part of a massive reorganization. The company also intends to close four other North American plants by early next year.