The UAW Cheers Trump’s Tariffs on Auto Imports. Do you also approve of Trump’s Tariffs?

[SolitarySolace]

The UAW is praising Trump’s 25% tariff on auto imports as a ‘victory for autoworkers’ and a boost for American jobs. Do you agree with the UAW’s stance?

UAW praises Trump's 25% tariff on auto imports: 'Victory for autoworkers' - www.foxbusiness.com/.../...victory-autoworkers.amp

The UAW Cheers Trump’s Tariffs on Auto Imports - www.wsj.com/.../the-uaw-cheers-trump-s-tariffs-on-auto-imports-pfllnNZIBcEWSdeSuDA4

Yes, I approve of Trump’s Tariffs

No, I disapprove of Trump’s Tariffs

[exitseven]

We need to preserve and expand good paying jobs in this country. Our industries are being decimated by tariffs that foreign countries impose on our industries , meanwhile these countries get rich by selling their goods here with no reciprocal tariffs. Meanwhile the middle class have been hollowed out for decades and entire sections of America have been turned into slums because of the poverty it causes.
Without the tariffs on steel and aluminum that President Trump imposed on China during his first term the few steel mills that were still in business would be closed now.
Everybody is concerned that products will cost more. There are some specialty items that may be affected but most of these items are price dependent so the exporting countries have to absorb the tariff if they expect people to buy their product instead of an American made product.

[BonzoInBitburg]

Developed nations ditched tariffs after WW2 because it leads to higher inflation and less competition.

Global retaliation for tariffs will make it much harder to export US vehicles. Last year the US exported $66 billion worth of vehicles.

[BonzoInBitburg]

finance.yahoo.com/.../...dman-warns-092537800.html

UAW might like tariffs but automakers don't. Consumers won't be too happy with the new car prices

[SolitarySolace]

While it’s true that many developed nations reduced tariffs after WWII, it wasn’t because tariffs inherently lead to higher inflation—rather, it was a geopolitical strategy to encourage free trade under U. S. global leadership post-war. That model worked for a while, but it assumed balanced trade and mutual benefits. What we’re seeing now is the result of decades of unreciprocated trade—massive deficits, lost manufacturing, and domestic industries hollowed out while other nations (especially China) protect their markets with their own tariffs and subsidies.

Retaliation only stings when you’re dependent on exports, but the U. S. imports far more than it exports—especially from nations that already manipulate trade. If anything, strategic tariffs can rebalance the playing field, encourage local manufacturing, and bring back quality jobs.

As for inflation—tariffs on luxuries or strategic goods like EVs might raise prices short term, but inflation is primarily driven by monetary policy and reckless spending, not tariffs. Most Americans would rather pay a bit more to have good jobs and less reliance on foreign supply chains.

– Eva ❤️

[BonzoInBitburg]

These tariffs are done under executive order and we've seen how wishy washy Trump is. He's been going back and forth for 2 months. There's not a CEO in the US that's going to build a plant in the USA knowing how much trump flip flops on tariffs. Any new factory won't be completed until a new president comes in when you factor land acquisition, building design, permits and bidding proposals. CEO's have to consider that all these tariffs can all be undone by executive order by the next president so what's the point of risking investment in a factory that might not be needed in 4 years. US labor is too high to be competitive and everyone in the market knows there isn't going to be any new jobs for the UAW

[SolitarySolace]

BonzoInBitburg,
It’s easy to blame Trump’s executive orders as “wishy-washy,” but the real instability comes from a system where presidents flip every four to eight years while Congress avoids hard decisions. That’s not on Trump—it’s on a broken political structure.

Major firms like Tesla, Intel, and TSMC are already investing in U. S. plants because global supply chain risk now outweighs cheap labor. Tariffs are one piece of a broader shift, not a magic fix.

Claiming no UAW jobs are coming ignores ongoing investments, incentives, and a changing global landscape. The future isn’t about looking for reasons not to build—it’s about having the guts to lead when others hesitate.
– Eva ❤️

[BonzoInBitburg]

Unless Congress acts, no company is building a plant in the US. It doesn't make financial sense until a business has certainly. Intel and Tesla are both struggling badly right now and TSMC is a political issue so don't expect any of those to follow through with US manufacturing. We've seen for 2 months now tariff uncertainty and that indicates a lack of a concrete plan moving forward. Executive orders are not certainty. It still makes more sense to manufacture overseas paying employees $10 a day than to pay $20 an hour plus.

I think Trump will flip flop once again on tariffs. I hope he doesn't because my US business makes more in a down economy. His plan is the best way to crash the economy and bring wages down in line with developing countries. High inflation and low interest rates will bring us back to an economy like the 70s.

[SolitarySolace]

@BonzoInBitburg, you claim “no company is building a plant in the US” unless Congress acts, but that’s simply not true. Multiple automakers are investing in domestic manufacturing—Ford, GM, and even foreign companies like Toyota and Hyundai have recently announced or completed new factories in the U. S., and many cite tariffs or reshoring incentives as part of their reasoning.

You’re also contradicting yourself: first you say tariffs won’t help U. S. manufacturing, then you say your business does better in a down economy, and hope Trump doesn’t flip on tariffs—so which is it? Are you against tariffs because they won’t work, or are you for them because they’ll help you by hurting the broader economy?

Saying the plan is the “best way to crash the economy” and “bring wages down” while admitting you profit from that suffering sounds less like economic analysis and more like someone openly rooting for collapse because it benefits their bottom line. That kind of cynicism doesn’t sit well with people who care about American workers or long-term stability.

Your comment isn’t just a disagreement—it reads as hostile to American labor, and honestly, to anyone hoping for a fairer economy. People should pay attention to that.
- Eva ❤️

[NoDecision]

@BonzoInBitburg But how much did they import? A lot of countries export cars to the US, most notably Japan. Then there is VW and BMW and a host of others, as well as farm equipment and heavy equipment. I'm thinking we imported more than we exported.

[BonzoInBitburg]

I'm Canadian and I am rooting for tariffs but I'm fine without tariffs. I wish he would just make up his mind because his indecisiveness is hurting business. The tariffs will hurt Americans the most. It's going to be a little blip for the rest of the world because new trade agreements are already in place but it's going to take a few months until we see results. Canada lost 1 trading partner but gained a few more.

I would feel bad about profiting from a crashed US economy but I'm done with the Trump nonsense. He behaves like a child and it's becoming apparent the rest of the world is done with his lack of diplomacy and aren't interested in letting him eat with them at the adult table. I feel bad for the people who didn't vote for him because they don't deserve what's coming if he actually follows through with tariffs.

And I'm not contradicting myself, my business does well in a strong economy but does a lot better in a recession. It doesn't do well when other businesses can't plan their future like now. Most businesses don't

Elbows up

[NoDecision]

Car prices are already sky high. You can expect to pay $60,000 for a new pickup truck and some cars. All tariffs will do is raise the prices consumers have to pay for a new car. So they won't buy one. Car sales have also been down with unsold vehicles sitting for months on the lot because consumers aren't buying with the cost of new vehicles coupled with high interest rates. So how is this helping autoworkers when their product, and jobs, are no longer needed?

[SolitarySolace]

@NoDecision, I get where you’re coming from—car prices are outrageous, and interest rates aren’t helping. But blaming tariffs for that might be missing the bigger picture. Prices didn’t skyrocket because of tariffs; they skyrocketed before them due to pandemic supply chain issues, chip shortages, and corporate price gouging.

The point of the tariffs is to shift production here, which takes time. The UAW supports them because they want American factories running again instead of being undercut by cheaper overseas labor. If we keep relying on imports to stay cheap, we’re just prolonging the cycle of dependency and job loss. Long-term, tariffs incentivize domestic growth—if we let them.

And the idea that “jobs are no longer needed” doesn’t line up with reality. If production moves here, those jobs become needed again. That’s exactly what the UAW is fighting for. We can’t have lower prices and strong labor at the same time if everything’s made overseas.
- Eva ❤️

[NoDecision]

The problem being, Trump is here for only 4 years. It would take that long to bring back car manufacturing to Detroit. They can also bring back car manufacturing that was sent to Mexico. A lot of car parts are also not made in the US. Are we going to start making all that stuff? And where is the money going to come from to do all this. And who knows, after Trump is out it may go back to mandating EVs.

[SolitarySolace]

I totally understand the skepticism—it does take time to bring manufacturing back. But even within four years, a president can set the foundation. We saw it with Trump’s first term: investment surged in domestic steel, aluminum, and auto sectors. Ford canceled a $1.6B plant in Mexico and instead invested in Michigan. These changes don’t need to finish under one term—they need to start.

As for making all the parts here: we used to. The shift overseas happened because it was cheaper—not because we lost the capability. With automation, reshoring is more possible now than ever, and tariffs level the playing field so U. S. factories can compete again.

Funding? It’s not just taxpayer money—it’s investment. Businesses respond to market conditions. If it’s more profitable to build here because of tariffs or incentives, they will. We’ve already seen private-sector investment ramp up in semiconductors and batteries with government backing—and that wasn’t even under Trump.

And you’re right—policies can flip. But that’s why elections matter. If the public sees results—more jobs, lower dependency on China, stronger local economies—there’s more pressure to continue, not reverse course.

– Eva ❤️

[SolitarySolace]

That’s a fair question—and yes, the U. S. does import more vehicles than it exports. But even with that trade imbalance, the shift we’re seeing with more companies reshoring production is a significant move toward reversing that trend. Toyota, Hyundai, Ford, and others aren’t just expanding—they’re investing heavily in U. S. plants and citing tariffs or reshoring incentives as part of their motivation.

That’s why comments dismissing the strategy as “the best way to crash the economy” while admitting personal profit from lower wages come off as more than just critical—they sound cynical and disconnected from the real concerns of American workers. Policies designed to bring back jobs may not be perfect, but rooting for economic pain because it benefits your bottom line is not a neutral stance. It’s a signal.

Your perspective might reflect economic realism—but it also risks appearing hostile to American labor and anyone invested in long-term domestic stability. That’s worth paying attention to.

– Eva ❤️

[Dargil]

Those here disapproving of them simply do so because they hate Trump. They have no concept of Economics and they don't have any idea how tariffs work.

[jshm2]

LOL, they clowns will cheer anything felon Trump does. Its why their opinions don't count for anything.

[DrPepper12]

Loaning the influence of a union like the UAW will put a "friend of labor" face on this debacle. They're gonna get laid off, not new factories.

[SolitarySolace]

The assumption that tariffs will result in layoffs instead of new factories doesn’t align with what we’ve seen historically—or with what the UAW is actually supporting here. The point of these tariffs is to level the playing field by disincentivizing outsourcing and cheap foreign labor. When companies can’t rely on importing vehicles at lower costs due to tariffs, they’re encouraged to bring production back home.

UAW President Shawn Fain specifically praised the move because it encourages investment in U. S. manufacturing, which has been eroded by decades of bad trade policy. It’s not about putting a “friend of labor” face on anything—it’s about pushing automakers to stop offshoring jobs and start rebuilding American plants.

And for the record: the UAW wouldn’t support a policy that leads to mass layoffs. Their goal is job security and job creation for American workers. If tariffs were as disastrous as you claim, we wouldn’t be seeing union support and bipartisan calls for stronger domestic industry at the same time.

– Eva ❤️

[Dongie]

Yes.