President Joe Biden plans to visit a General Motors factory in Detroit on Wednesday, even after CEO Mary Barra announced plans to ship jobs to Mexico in April.
Biden plans to celebrate the opening of GM’s Factory ZERO assembly plant in Detroit that has been retooled to build electric vehicles in the United States.
The president plans to drive the new electric Hummer during his visit and promote his infrastructure bill that will develop new charging stations for electric vehicles in the United States.
But GM’s commitment to American-made electric vehicles is far from universal.
In April, GM announced plans to invest more than $1 billion in Mexico to build electric vehicles.
At the time, United Auto Workers Vice President Terry Dittes called the investment a “slap in the face” to American workers.
“At a time when General Motors is asking for a significant investment by the U.S. government in subsidizing electric vehicles, this is a slap in the face for not only UAW members and their families but also for U.S. taxpayers and the American workforce,” he said in a statement.
Biden has a close relationship with Barra, praising her for withdrawing the General Motors lawsuit against California for keeping higher emission standards for vehicles after former President Donald Trump rolled them back.
In this July 16, 2019 file photo, General Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra speaks during the opening of their contract talks with the United Auto Workers in Detroit. General Motors says it will no longer support the Trump administration in legal efforts to end California’s right to set its own clean-air standards. Barra said in a letter Monday, Nov. 23, 2020 to environmental groups that GM will pull out of the lawsuit, and it urges other automakers to do so. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Barra’s reversal was inspired by Biden’s election.
“We are inspired by the President-elect’s Build Back Better plan which outlines a clear intention to expand vehicle electrification in the United States,” she wrote in a letter after the 2020 election.
After Biden was elected president in November 2020, Barra also joined him for a meeting on the economy before taking office.
In August, Biden boasted that Barra promised him he would get to drive the first electric Corvette after it was built.
“I want to say publicly, I have a commitment from Mary when they make the first electric Corvette, I get to drive it,” Biden said during an event at the White House with Barra. “Right, Mary? You think I’m kidding. I’m not kidding.”
Biden commented on GM’s production of electric vehicles while hosting Detroit automakers at the White House. During the event, he drove an electric Jeep Wrangler around the White House driveway.
GM’s ties to the White House run deep as well.
White House Counselor to the President Steve Richetti’s brother Jeff Ricchetti, a long-time swamp creature of Washington, DC’s, lobbying circle was recently hired to represent General Motors on “issues related to China” after Biden was elected.
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