Senator Elissa Slotkin claims that President Trump may allow Chinese vehicles to be sold in the US as part of a larger deal with President Xi Jinping. The senator mentioned that a meeting between the two leaders is expected to take place in Washington in a few weeks.
Slotkin describes this potential move as a strategic mistake that would impact 1.2 million jobs in Michigan related to the auto industry and US manufacturing capacity. She has not cited a source for these rumors, and the White House has not announced any plans to reduce trade barriers.
Slotkin and Senator Bernie Moreno are promoting the Connected Vehicle Security Act, a bipartisan bill that would ban Chinese vehicles, software, and hardware from the US market. The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously in July.
The current trade environment is defined by a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, which was increased from 25% to 100% by the Biden administration in 2024. The Trump administration has maintained these tariffs and has previously stated that the 100% rate was a correct decision.