A day after expressing his disappointment with an announcement by General Motors to shutter automobile production plants in Ohio and Michigan, President Donald Trump and a top White House economic official on Tuesday publicly threatened to strip the automaker of any government subsidies.
"We're going to be looking at certain subsidies regarding electric cars and others," said White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, as he complained that GM was planning to build electric cars in China, rather than in the United States.
"Obviously there is a lot of disappointment and even anger," Kudlow said of the GM layoffs, though he downplayed the idea that it would have a dramatic impact on the U.S. economy.
Moments after Kudlow left the podium in the White House Briefing Room, the President went on Twitter and directly threatened retribution against General Motors.
While the President vented his frustration at General Motors, Democrats again went after Mr. Trump.
"The President is more concerned about his golf game than the jobs of hard working Americans," said Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), whose northeastern Ohio district will be impacted heavily by the GM layoffs.
"When we needed his help with GM, where was he?" Ryan tweeted.
"The recent GM announcement must serve as a major wake up call," said Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI), as he took aim at low wages in Mexico, arguing that was 'suppressing American wages and creating job loss.'
"The tax cuts didn’t spur investment. They have accelerated outsourcing and downsizing," said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI).
"So no one in Washington should be surprised that the very same day GM laid off workers in Lordstown, Ohio, it announced plans to make the Blazer in Mexico," said Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). "And now, after taking its tax windfall, GM is eliminating 14,000 American jobs."
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