Trump guns for Harley-Davidson
US President Donald Trump has accused motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson of using trade tensions over tariffs as an excuse to move production for European customers overseas. “Early this year Harley-Davidson said they would move much of their plant operations in Kansas City to Thailand. That was long before tariffs were announced. Hence, they were just using tariffs/ trade war as an excuse,” the US president said on Twitter on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump has accused motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson of using trade tensions over tariffs as an excuse to move production for European customers overseas.
“Early this year Harley Davidson said they would move much of their plant operations in Kansas City to Thailand. That was long before Tariffs were announced. Hence, they were just using Tariffs/Trade War as an excuse,” the US president said on Twitter on Tuesday.
“When I had Harley-Davidson officials over to the White House, I chided them about tariffs in other countries, like India, being too high. Companies are now coming back to America,” the tweet read.
“Harley must know that they won’t be able to sell back into US without paying a big tax!”
Harley-Davidson representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.
The firm decided to build the Thailand plant in 2017 after Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which would have lowered import tariffs on its bikes in some of the fastest-growing markets in Asia. Harley-Davidson said on Monday it would move production of motorcycles shipped to the EU from the US to its international facilities and forecast the trading bloc’s tariffs would cost the firm $90 m to $100 ma year.
The Trump administration imposed tariffs on imports of European steel and aluminium earlier in June and, in response, the EU began charging import duties of 25% on a range of US products including big bikes like Harley’s on June 22.
Trump responded angrily to Harley-Davidson’s announcement on Monday, saying he had fought hard for the 115-year-old Milwaukee-based company and was surprised by its plans, which he described as waving the “white flag”.
“I fought hard for them and ultimately they will not pay tariffs selling into the EU, which has hurt us badly on trade, down $151bn. Taxes just a Harley excuse — be patient!” Trump’s Twitter post read on Monday night.
HARLEY MUST KNOW THAT THEY WON’T BE ABLE TO SELL BACK INTO US WITHOUT PAYING A BIG TAX!