Trump: Harley-Davidson ‘going to take a big hit’ for moving some production overseas
President Trump on Sunday predicted that Harley-Davidson is going to take “a big hit” for moving some of its motorcycle production overseas.
Trump told Fox News’s Maria Bartiromo on “Sunday Morning Futures” that he did not agree with the company’s decision to shift away from domestic production, renewing his claims that the motorcycle manufacturer shouldn’t “get cute.”
“I think they’re going to take a big hit,” Trump said. “I really believe that Harley’s going to take a — the people that are buying Harley-Davidson, they don’t want it built in another country.”
Trump cautioned against Harley-Davidson moving overseas, stating, “I think that Harley is an American bike. It’s an American motorcycle and they should build them in this country.”
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The president went on to claim that everybody who ever bought a Harley-Davidson voted for him in the 2016 presidential election.
“Those are my voters. They don’t want Harley-Davidson getting cute to make $2 more,” he said.
Trump’s tone toward Harley-Davidson has vacillated in recent days since the company’s announcement, shifting from condemnation to pleas for the company to keep its production in the U.S.
“Harley-Davidson should stay 100% in America, with the people that got you your success,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday. “I’ve done so much for you, and then this. Other companies are coming back where they belong! We won’t forget, and neither will your customers or your now very HAPPY competitors!”
The president also pleaded with the company this week to keep its production domestic.
“We want to tell, by the way, Harley-Davidson, please build those beautiful motorcycles in the USA, please, OK? Don’t get cute with us. Don’t get cute,” Trump said.
Harley-Davidson, in a filing on Monday, cited the European Union’s (EU) move to implement tariffs on motorcycles imported from the U.S. as its reasoning behind outsourcing production. According to documents, the company said tariffs on its motorcycles rose from 6 percent to 31 percent in recent weeks.
The tariffs came in response to the Trump administration’s move to implement steep steel and aluminum tariffs on the EU and other countries.
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