President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened that Harley Davidson “will be taxed like never before” after the iconic American brand announced it would move some motorcycle production overseas to quell the sting of Trump’s new tariffs.
The President also predicted the company’s demise — “they surrendered, they quit!” — and said their “Aura will be gone.”
A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country-never! Their employees and customers are already very angry at them. If they move, watch, it will be the beginning of the end – they surrendered, they quit! The Aura will be gone and they will be taxed like never before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
Trump made the assertions in a string of tweets attacking Harley-Davidson on Tuesday, claiming the company had already planned to move some of their operations from Kansas City, Missouri to Thailand and suggesting they lied about why they’re moving some operations overseas.
Harley-Davidson has denied that the company is planning to move jobs from the closing Kansas City plant to Thailand, according to the Associated Press.
He again suggested that it would be expensive for the motorcycle company to “sell back” into the U.S. if it attempted to return.
Early this year Harley-Davidson said they would move much of their plant operations in Kansas City to Thailand. That was long before Tariffs were announced. Hence, they were just using Tariffs/Trade War as an excuse. Shows how unbalanced & unfair trade is, but we will fix it…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
….We are getting other countries to reduce and eliminate tariffs and trade barriers that have been unfairly used for years against our farmers, workers and companies. We are opening up closed markets and expanding our footprint. They must play fair or they will pay tariffs!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
….When I had Harley-Davidson officials over to the White House, I chided them about tariffs in other countries, like India, being too high. Companies are now coming back to America. Harley must know that they won’t be able to sell back into U.S. without paying a big tax!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
….We are finishing our study of Tariffs on cars from the E.U. in that they have long taken advantage of the U.S. in the form of Trade Barriers and Tariffs. In the end it will all even out – and it won’t take very long!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
Trump has previously pointed to Harley-Davidson as an example of a company that’s been abused by trade barriers — and even invited executives to the White House last winter — yet the company warned the President that tariffs would be harmful to sales. Harley announced on Monday that it would have to move its production of motorcycles that will be sold in Europe to factories overseas, thanks to Trump’s tariffs on European steel and aluminum and the European Union’s retaliatory measures.
