Trump Commends Nissan's US Production

Former President Donald Trump congratulated Nissan on Wednesday for its commitment to expanding car production and sales within the United States. He praised the company’s success, stating, “Wow! Congratulations to Nissan, and Christian Meunier, Americas Chairman, on the tremendous success they are having in the U. S.”

Trump specifically credited his administration’s use of tariffs for incentivizing foreign automakers to prioritize domestic manufacturing. He described the results as “AMAZING!!!”

Tariffs Drive Reshoring Strategy

The former president’s message followed an interview with Christian Meunier, chairman of Nissan Americas, on Fox Business. Meunier explained that the tariffs are “really pushing all the manufacturers to do the right thing, which is really to build locally and to sell in the U.S.”

Increased Domestic Production

According to Meunier, Nissan has significantly increased the proportion of vehicles built in the U.S. for the American market. “A year ago, 45% of our mix sold in the U.S. was made in the U.S. — we’re more than two-thirds today, and we’ll go to 80%,” he stated.

Future Plans and Workforce Impact

Nissan is also planning to introduce its new hybrid technology within the next 18 months. The company intends to expand its domestic workforce as part of this growth strategy.

Restructuring and Plant Closures

Currently, Nissan employs approximately 20,000 people in the United States. As part of a broader restructuring plan, the Japanese automaker is set to close seven of its 17 global manufacturing plants, including facilities in Mexico, by next year. This restructuring will also involve cutting around 20,000 jobs globally.

Nissan’s three main US manufacturing plants are located in Tennessee and Mississippi. The vehicle assembly plant in Mississippi may undergo restructuring due to existing production challenges.