Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) has added another twist to the tension around Chinese cars, claiming she’s heard rumors that President Trump is considering opening the door for the vehicles to enter the U.S. ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington.
The details: Slotkin is using the claim as a pressure point to get the Connected Vehicle Security Act passed, a bipartisan bill she co-sponsored with Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH), according to Automotive World.
The bill would write the Commerce Department’s existing rule against connected vehicles from “countries of concern” into statute and extend it to cover Chinese components and companies operating through third countries.
The legislation cleared the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously in July but still needs to be approved by the full Senate before being signed into law by President Trump.
Why it matters: Any move to allow Chinese vehicles into the U.S. could significantly alter the competitive landscape for dealers, potentially introducing new brands and lower-priced vehicles into the market while creating uncertainty around existing franchise and product strategies.
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Digging deeper: Slotkin has not revealed the source of her insight into Trump’s plans regarding Chinese cars and Xi’s upcoming visit to Washington on September 24—which is expected to include a delegation of CEOs from China, Reuters reported.
However, the Michigan senator’s claims point to President Trump’s mixed signals about Chinese vehicles being sold in the U.S., as he potentially looks to make trade deals with Beijing.
Trump told the Detroit Economic Club in January he would welcome Chinese automakers building plants staffed with American workers.
Amid affordability concerns, the president has also praised the small “kei” cars sold in Japan, reported NBC News—which suggests he could be open to similar Chinese models built in the U.S., with certain stipulations.
Trump reiterated in July that Chinese cars face a 100% tariff in the U.S., with House Democrats and Republicans urging him to ban them from the market.
Bottom line: Political and industry opposition to Chinese vehicles entering the U.S. continues to intensify—but President Trump has shown he’s rarely, if ever, swayed by others’ opinions when making trade deals.
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