On Tuesday morning, Donald Trump tweeted that the Chevrolet Cruze sold in the U.S. is being manufactured in Mexico and sold tax-free via dealers across the border in the U.S. GM responded to the claim with a statement clarifying exactly where it makes the Cruze it retails in the U.S., which it turns out is primarily in Ohio.
All Cruze sedans sold in the U.S. are made at a factory in the state, GM notes, and while some Chevrolet Cruze hatchbacks designed for the global market are sold stateside, and are in fact made in Mexico, the vast majority of those vehicles are destined for export to other international markets.
It’s not the first time Trump has seen fit to intervene in the manufacturing location choices of American companies; he previously announced a deal with Carrier to keep some of the air conditioner company’s jobs in the U.S., though it’s not yet a done deal and the details are being kept mostly in the dark.
Trump’s claim here has a tiny grain of truth, but is clearly a gross overstatement of the facts designed to engender his elaborately constructed image as a savior of U.S. jobs. Cruze is overwhelming selling sedan models in the U.S. market, and as the company confirms, those are exclusively assembled in the Ohio facility.
GM’s full statement:
General Motors manufactures the Chevrolet Cruze sedan in Lordstown, Ohio. All Chevrolet Cruze sedans sold in the U.S. are built in GM’s assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio. GM builds the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback for global markets in Mexico, with a small number sold in the U.S.