Trump is once again using his bully pulpit to threaten another automaker, this time Toyota:
Toyota Motor said will build a new plant in Baja, Mexico, to build Corolla cars for U.S. NO WAY! Build plant in U.S. or pay big border tax.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2017
What in the heck is Trump’s obsession with automakers? Doesn’t he realize that cars aren’t the only things made overseas?
Good grief. This is something I absolutely hate about Trump, the way he bullies private companies.
What’s funny is they are basically empty threats at this point. Paul Ryan told Hugh Hewitt yesterday that Congress was NOT going to raise tariffs as Trump is suggesting (via Hotair):
[Hugh Hewitt]: Do you think we’re headed towards a Smoot-Hawley era?
[Paul Ryan]: No. No, we’re not going to be raising tariffs. We think tax reform is the better way of addressing imbalances, leveling the playing field without starting trade wars, without having the adverse effects that you get with protectionism or trade wars. We think leveling the playing field on taxes, reducing the cost on American businesses by reducing regulatory costs, health care costs, that’s the secret to making American businesses more competitive, not raising prices or raising tariffs, but lowering the costs and leveling the playing field.
It’s good to hear Paul Ryan say that. But I think it remains to be seen as Trump will likely try and bully Congress to do his bidding on the tariffs.