Toyota Is Now In Trump’s Sights

2017 Toyota Corolla (Credit: Toyota)

If you thought Donald Trump only cared where American automakers manufacture cars, you’re wrong. The president-elect took to Twitter to blast Toyota for making Corollas in Mexico.

Toyota is working on a new facility in Guanajuato, which will churn out Corollas. The announcement for this project originally came out in April of 2015, so the plan’s been around for a while. Ground was officially broken in November of last year. As part of the arrangement, Toyota at the time said no jobs in the United States would be cut.

After the angry tweet from Trump, Toyota told Reuters it’s planning to work with the new administration “to serve in the best interests of consumers and the automotive industry.” Whatever that means.

The threat of a big tariff for Corollas could make building ones for the US market in Mexico incredibly expensive. Some are made in Mississippi, while others are produced in Canada. There’s already a plant in Baja that makes Tacomas, but that wasn’t mentioned by the president-elect.

Will Toyota tuck tail and keep whipping out Corollas in the United States and maybe Canada? Ford’s already altered its plans for vehicle production in Mexico, following heavy criticism from Trump.