Trump to Samsung: US ‘would love to have you’

by Mark Hensch - 02/02/17 1:38 PM ET

President Trump tweeted Thursday that the United States would welcome a Samsung Electronics factory on its soil.

“Thank you, @Samsung!” Trump wrote, including a link to an Axios article about a possible Samsung facility in the U.S. “We would love to have you!”

Axios reported that Samsung building a U.S. factory would make it the only major appliance company besides Whirlpool to manufacture its products in America.

{mosads}A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Samsung is considering building a manufacturing base in the U.S.

Samsung had not yet decided on specifics for the possible project, including how much it might invest or where the base would be located.

Reuters’s source added that the South Korean company was mulling the potential new facility for its home-appliances business.

Samsung told Reuters in an emailed statement that it continues to “evaluate new investment needs” in the U.S.

Reuters added that it had confirmed LG Electronics is pondering a move similar to Samsung’s with a separate source familiar with the situation.

LG is reportedly eyeing Tennessee for a new home appliances and television plant that is under consideration, it said.

The company, which is also South Korean, previously announced it plans on constructing a U.S. manufacturing facility in January.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to help the U.S. labor force by renegotiating global trade deals and emphasizing domestic manufacturing. The president has also often used Twitter to criticize and pressure businesses and their policies.

Trump harshly criticized Boeing late last year over the cost of a new Air Force One plane, calling for the company’s contract to get canceled.

“Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion,” he tweeted on Dec. 6, 2016. “Cancel order!”

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said following his second meeting with Trump on Jan. 17 the pair had made “progress” on lowering the vehicle’s cost.