Tariff threats and animosity toward electric vehicles of the Trump administration are producing a "lot of cost and a lot of chaos" for Ford, the automaker's chief executive said Tuesday, also suggesting jobs could be "at risk" if incentives get revoked.
While Trump has spoken about the priority of strengthening manufacturing in the United States, the administration thus far has been the source of tremendous "policy uncertainty" with constantly evolving tariff plans and a lack of clarity on whether tax credits favoring EVs will be rolled back, he said.
Appearing at a financial conference, Jim Farley described Trump's initial plan to enact 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada as a disaster for U.S. companies that operate across the region, while providing an unfair advantage to European and Asian automakers that also import to the U.S.
Last week, Trump suspended tariffs for 30 days following concessions from Mexico and Canada. But they have not been removed as a possibility by the Trump administration, which also announced plans to enact 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Farley said Ford buys most of those two metals from U.S. firms, but that the company's suppliers have international sources.
"So that price will come through, and there may be a speculative part of the market where prices come up because tariffs are even rumored," Farley said.
"President Trump has talked a lot about making our U.S. auto industry stronger, bringing more production here, more innovation," Farley said, adding that these would be "signature accomplishments."
But "so far, what we're seeing is a lot of costs and chaos," he said.
Farley pointed to lingering questions about the Trump administration's intentions on the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which included tax incentives for consumer EV purchases and the building of EV factories.
An executive order on Trump's first day signaled the potential elimination of tax credits favoring EVs.
Farley said Ford had already "sunk capital" in major investments in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee.
"Many of those jobs will be at risk if the IRA is repealed or if big parts of it is repealed," Farley said.
