Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated on Monday that if elected he would take into account ending a US$7 500 tax credit score for electrical automobile purchases and that he could be open to naming Tesla CEO Elon Musk to a cupboard or advisory position.
“Tax credit and tax incentives will not be typically an excellent factor,” Trump stated in an interview after a marketing campaign occasion in York, Pennsylvania, when requested concerning the EV credit score.
Requested if he would take into account naming Musk to an advisory position or cupboard job, Trump stated he would. “He’s a really good man. I definitely would, if he would do it, I definitely would. He’s a superb man,” Trump stated.
Musk final month publicly endorsed Trump within the US presidential race.
If elected, Trump may take steps to reverse US treasury division guidelines which have made it simpler for automobile makers to benefit from the $7 500 credit score or may ask the US congress to repeal it totally. Whereas president, Trump sought to repeal the EV tax credit score, which was later expanded by President Joe Biden in 2022.
“I’m not making any last choices on it,” Trump stated of the EV tax credit score. “I’m a giant fan of electrical automobiles, however I’m a fan of gasoline (petrol)-propelled automobiles, and in addition hybrids and no matter else occurs to return alongside.”
He added that he would rescind the Biden administration guidelines that can prod automobile makers to construct extra EVs and plug-in hybrids to fulfill stricter emissions requirements and stated he sees a “a lot smaller market” for EVs due to price and battery vary points.
New tariffs
Trump additionally stated on Monday he would take steps to discourage exports of automobiles produced by the Detroit Three automobile makers and others from Mexico for US customers by imposing new tariffs and would stop Chinese language corporations from constructing new vegetation in Mexico for US market automobiles. He made related threats throughout his presidency.
“In case you put tariffs on these automobiles, they’re going to make it right here,” Trump stated. “It’s quite simple. It’s not sophisticated. In case you inform Mexico, ‘Look, you’re stealing our automobile trade,’ which they’re doing now.”
However Trump is open to Chinese language and different motoring producers constructing automobiles within the US. “We’re going to offer incentives, and if China and different nations wish to come right here and promote the automobiles, they’re going to construct vegetation right here, they usually’re going to rent our employees,” Trump stated. “We are going to make our personal automobiles. I wish to make our personal automobiles.”
Individually, Trump harshly criticised Google however declined to say if he thought the know-how firm ought to be damaged up after a decide dominated this month that Google was an unlawful monopoly.
“They’re nearly just like the Wild West,” Trump stated of Google, with out elaborating on what penalty it ought to face. “They’re going to must pay a fantastic value.”
Trump has beforehand stated he would stop brief video app TikTok from being banned regardless of a regulation permitted in April that units a deadline of 19 January 2025 for Chinese language proprietor ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US property. Requested if he may settle for continued Chinese language possession of TikTok, Trump didn’t immediately reply however stated ByteDance would possibly promote.
“It’s very laborious to ban one thing like that, since you’re speaking about free speech,” Trump stated. “You’re speaking about a whole lot of various things go into that equation, however TikTok has handled me very properly.” — David Shepardson, (c) 2024 Reuters
