President Donald Trump announced on Saturday (October 24, 2026) that German automaker Audi planned to invest $4.2 billion to build its first factory in the United States, 10 days before midterm elections. U.S.
In response, carmakers including General Motors, Toyota, and Ford have announced plans to expand U.S. plants or shift production from overseas.
Mr.
Trump has claimed a “roaring comeback” in American auto manufacturing in response to his aggressive trade policy.
Trump said at a campaign rally ahead of the November 3 vote that will determine control of the U.S. Congress.
“I’m thrilled to announce a massive auto manufacturing investment in the great state of Georgia by a fantastic company,” Mr. Audi, which is a unit of Volkswagen (VW), said in its release that construction was scheduled to begin next year and production in the early 2030s. “The planned investment intends to mark a long-term commitment to the United States and to establish North America as a third major pillar of Audi’s global production network alongside Europe and China,” it said. Increasing production in the United States represents an “opportunity”, “provided that factories and employees in Germany also benefit from it”, said Olaf Lies, president of the German region of Lower Saxony, where VW is headquartered.
