Ford CEO Says Duffy's Letter Reflected 'Basic Misunderstandings': Report
Ford said the criticism contained factual errors and came without warning, while the White House later praised the automaker’s domestic investment plans.
- On Wednesday, Ford CEO Jim Farley pushed back against Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, dismissing the official's letter as containing "basic misunderstandings" about the automaker's Chinese ties.
- Duffy released a letter on Tuesday accusing Ford of "actively intertwining its future with Chinese state-backed enterprises," citing the Marshall, Michigan battery plant's CATL licensing and Geely Automobile Holdings assembly in Spain.
- Farley rejected the claims as "mistruths," noting the Marshall, Michigan plant supports 1,700 jobs through a limited licensing agreement while Ford commits to bringing Lincoln Nautilus production to the United States.
- Despite the criticism, the White House and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick posted Wednesday that Ford is a "GREAT American company," leaving Ford's chief policy officer Steve Croley surprised by the conflicting messaging.
- Ford intends to phase out Lincoln Nautilus imports from China by 2030 to bolster domestic manufacturing, navigating ongoing confusion from the administration's mixed signals on trade strategy.
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The New York LedgerFord CEO says Duffy's letter reflected 'basic misunderstandings': report
CEO Jim Farley said the transportation secretary's concerns over the automaker's China ties could have been resolved with "a simple five-minute call."
'Deeply Alarmed:' U.S. DOT urges Ford to cut ties with Chinese companies, citing BlueOval plant in Marshall - The Midwesterner
The U.S. Department of Transportation is urging Ford to cut its reliance on Chinese companies and technology, specifically citing its deal with CATL to produce EV batteries in Marshall. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley last week, suggesting “the Company’s recent strategic decisions paint a troubling picture of a...
The ties that the US automotive giant has forged with Chinese technology companies have sparked fierce debate between the Trump administration and Republicans. The company's simultaneous warnings against the Chinese threat and its partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL have drawn criticism in Washington, but the White House has offered support to Ford.
Ford CEO Farley Does More To Wreck The Company
Jim Farley steered Ford into a Chinese partnership he once warned would destroy the company, and now a Cabinet secretary is calling him out in writing. The fallout reveals a pattern of strategic miscalculations that keep mounting at one of America's oldest automakers.
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