GM CEO Mary Barra: "We have a lot in common" with Trump's agenda
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GM CEO Mary Barra speaks at an event in Detroit on April 15. Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg via Getty Images
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said Wednesday the automaker is aligned with President-elect Trump's goal of boosting American manufacturing, despite tensions with him when he was first in the White House.
Why it matters: Trump is expected to pursue a wide range of policies that would directly affect the auto industry.
- Barra is the latest blue-chip CEO to take a publicly warm stance toward Trump since his election, part of a broad shift in corporate sentiment.
Driving the news: In an interview with Axios' Joann Muller at an Automotive Press Association event in Detroit, Barra addressed several policy issues:
- She said there's "ample room" to streamline the environmental permitting process, which Trump has pledged to do.
- On the Biden administration's vehicle emissions targets — which Trump is expected to roll back — she said that "getting to some of the standards that are set right now are going to be challenging."
- She said a federal regulatory framework for self-driving cars — which advocates hope the Trump administration will pursue at Elon Musk's suggestion — would be better than a state-by-state patchwork of regulations.
- "I'm actually looking forward to working with with the president and with the administration, because I think we can grow the importance of the auto industry and manufacturing, and so I think there's a lot that we have in common," Barra said.
Yes, but: Trump has threatened tariffs on Mexico and Canada, where GM builds numerous vehicles, in a move that could increase costs for the company.
- "It could have a very substantial impact" on GM, Barra said.
- But she said she heard that conversations between Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican officials have been productive: "I think they're understanding the implications."
Zoom in: Barra's appearance at the APA event came a day after GM announced that it would discontinue its pursuit of a Cruise robotaxi.
- She emphasized Wednesday that the company is still pursuing autonomous vehicle technology but doesn't want to operate a fleet of robotaxi vehicles, especially considering that "this is one of the biggest technological challenges" of our time.
- "We're taking a different path," she said. "I hope you see we're being proactive in making decisions."
Flashback: During his first term, Trump blasted GM for a wide assortment of reasons, including the company's job cuts, plant closures and China strategy.
