President Donald Trump announced Saturday that Audi plans to build a $4 billion assembly plant in Georgia to produce 200,000 SUVs annually, as he seeks to convince Americans to back Republicans in the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Trump, who has pressured automakers to move production to the United States and has raised tariffs on autos, steel, aluminum, and parts, made the announcement at a rally in Perry, near Macon, in central Georgia, where Volkswagen's premium subsidiary plans to build its first U.S. assembly plant.
Last year, Trump's tariffs dealt Audi a 1.2 billion euro ($1.4 billion) blow, as it imports all its vehicles for the U.S. market from Europe or Mexico.
Georgia has competitive election races for U.S. Senate and governor. Trump is eager to argue that his auto tariffs are helping the U.S. economy. Critics say they have boosted vehicle prices and that the trade uncertainty has delayed some automaker investments.
"We are planning to bring our biggest and most premium SUVs, and produce them here in Macon, Georgia," Audi CEO Gernot Doellner said at the event. "This is a long-term investment because we believe in the American market."