Nov 26, 2018 - Economy & Business

Trump says General Motors "better get back" to Ohio soon

President Trump speaks with General Motors CEO Mary Barra during a meeting with automobile industry leaders at the White House in 2017. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he urged General Motors to stop making cars in China and open a new plant in Ohio to replace the one the company is planning to close. Trump later echoed those remarks while speaking with reporters on his way to a Mississippi rally:

"I was very tough. I spoke with [GM's CEO Mary Barra] when I heard they were closing and I said, 'This country has done a lot for General Motors and you better get back [to Ohio] soon.' ... I have no doubt in a not-too-distant future [GM] will put something else in."
— President Trump speaking with reporters on Monday

Why it matters: At a 2017 Ohio rally, Trump promised residents that manufacturing jobs would be returning to the state, telling the crowd: "Don't move. Don't sell your house." But on Monday, GM announced that it plans to cut 15% of its salaried workforce (roughly 14,700 people) in North America and idle factories in Michigan, Ohio, Maryland and Canada.

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Rebecca Falconer
Updated 19 mins ago - World

China says U.S. is "endangering peace" with high-level visit to Taiwan

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar during a June briefing in Washington, DC. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced Tuesday night he will lead a delegation to Taiwan "in the coming days."

Why it matters: It's the highest-level visit by a U.S. cabinet official to Taiwan since 1979. Azar is also the first U.S. Cabinet member to visit the island state in six years. The visit has angered China, which views Taiwan as part of its territory. Chinese officials accused the U.S. early Wednesday of "endangering peace" with the visit, AFP reports.

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Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 18,543,662 — Total deaths: 700,714 — Total recoveries — 11,143,031— Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3:30 a.m. ET: 4,771,236 — Total deaths: 156,807 — Total recoveries: 1,528,979 — Total tests: 57,543,852 — Map.
  3. States: New York City health commissioner resigns in protest of De Blasio's coronavirus response — Local governments go to war over schools.
  4. Public health: 59% of Americans support nationwide 2-week stay-at-home order in NPR poll.
  5. Politics: Trump's national security adviser returns to work after coronavirus recovery — Republicans push to expand small business loan program.
  6. Sports: Indy 500 to be held without fans — Rafael Nadal opts out of U.S. Open.
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Dave Lawler
Updated 2 hours ago - World

At least 100 killed, 4,000 injured after massive explosion rocks Beirut

Photo: Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

A major explosion has slammed central Beirut, Lebanon, damaging buildings as far as several miles away and injuring scores of people.

Driving the news: At least 100 people have been killed and over 4,000 injured in the blast — and the death toll is likely to rise, the Lebanese Red Cross said, per AP. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosions occurred at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past six years.

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