Good cop: “Donald, breh, you know us anyway. We are happy to invest in America.”
Bad cop: “Hey Duck, if you are crazy doing things you can whistle to our billions.”
After the shameless attack that Donald Trump recently made in Germany, seem to be the German car manufacturers find it difficult to have an attitude. On the one hand, they want to force radiate and pretend that the statements of Donald them to do anything. On the other hand, the American market for the Germans is very important.
So are the manufacturers in a Pechtoldesque dilemma. Just like Alexander, they want to don’t want their seat at the table to specify, and thus no influence. Sitting still while you are being shaved and your supporters to deny, however, is also not an option. Thus, there is a jousting on the dot fought to get the real power relations to crystallize.
Because do not forget that although Trump, in principle, with a stroke of the pen a thick import levy in the life can call, and the Germans therefore quite difficult to make, the Germans themselves also well represented in ‘Murcia. BMW has a factory in Spartanburg, Mercedes in Tuscaloosa and Volkswagen in Chattanooga. These factories provide jobs in the (mostly relatively poor) regions where they are located. One of the promises that Trump during his election campaign did was that he ‘American jobs’ would certainly propose. With the Germans so a drukmiddel in the hands. They seem now to be careful to play. An anthology.
Volkswagen:
Chief Herbert Diess says that he is the activities in Chattanooga would like to extend. Currently builds the factory the American Passat and the Atlas, but it would be more SUV’s can build on. Therefore, Volkswagen is also investing in the factory…provided that there is clarity around the rules of Trump:
“It has been a roller-coaster or emotions about the past months. We hope that we’re going to have clarity in the next months. It influences investment decisions.”
Especially the last sentence is interesting for the good listener. Plata o plomo, Trump.
Mercedes:
Also Mercedes makes precisely this week announced that it plans $ 1.3 billion to invest in their factory in Alabama (MBUSI). Also is Mercedes planning more suppliers from the region to drilling, which the ‘content’ of their cars Amerikaanser.
BMW:
BMW has Trump, according to Bloomberg invited in Spartanburg later this month for a party in honor of the 25th anniversary of the factory. A spokesman for BMW also states that the brand is ‘relaxed’ about TRump’s plans. Also already gave BMW to know for the time being, nothing to attract The Donald.
In short, in the background there is the necessary political games fought. But who is the winner of the battle?