Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Urges Ford to Cut Ties to China and Prioritize Manufacturing in America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today warned Ford Motor Company against its embrace of Chinese technology and manufacturing due to national security concerns. In a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Secretary Duffy advocates for skilled American workers who suffer as Ford continues to manufacture vehicles with Chinese companies abroad instead of building in America.

The letter highlights several recent actions by Ford that increase its dependence on our foreign adversary China, including:

• Ford's continued use of licensed technology from Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) at its BlueOval Battery Park facility in Marshall, Michigan. CATL is on the Department of War’s list of banned companies.
• Ford and Chinese automotive company Geely Auto’s new partnership to jointly manufacture low- and zero-emission vehicles at Ford’s Valencia, Spain factory.
• Ford’s decision to delay reshoring of some Lincoln models until 2030 which leaves the company reliant on China for several years to come.

“When a company intentionally chooses to deepen operational dependencies on strategic competitors, it fails to act as the reliable partner the American public and this DOT require,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in the letter. “Iconic American companies, like Ford, are also expected to out-innovate competitors. To that end, they need to chart clear paths to technological self-reliance,” the letter continued.

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