business

Trump threatens Harley-Davidson with higher taxes over European production move

40 Comments
By Doina Chiacu and Rajesh Kumar Singh

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"A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country-never! Their employees and customers are already very angry at them," Trump said on Twitter, without providing any evidence.

Never? They have factories in overseas locations for years now. Trump is an idiot!

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/about-us/careers/locations.html

Australia, Adelaide – New Castalloy

Brazil, Manaus –Harley-Davidson do Brasil Ltda Assembly Plant

India, Bawal – Harley-Davidson India Bawal Assembly Plant

Thailand, Rayong – Thailand Sales Office and Assembly Plant

Harley wants to stay in business, but is being targeted by EU tariffs because of Trump.

13 ( +15 / -2 )

HD is being run by a bunch of suits. Most of the workers back Trump.

Harley wants to stay in business, but is being targeted by EU tariffs because of Trump.

Some workers also have said that the "suits" running the company are just positioning themselves for future CEO jobs in other companies, and will use Trump as an excuse to switch to cheaper labor.

Its not like we haven't seen this happen before.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

Most of the workers back Trump.

While that may be true, I suspect the claim is based in hope, not in any actual survey of the workers to find out what they actually think.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

they will be taxed like never before!

Is Trump threatening to selectively tax a company he feels betrayed him? That would be illegal on many levels.

Zichi, your suggestion may or may not get around the EU tariffs depending on how they are structured but not the higher price of steel in the US due to Trump's tariffs, those that started this whole s*storm.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

More comedy presidenting from Pørnø McFraudø. How many times have his companies declared bankruptcy now? Is it four or six?

Maybe he could put the Harley suits in the cages with all those abducted children in Texas.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Please refrain from posting words like "Pørnø McFraudø."

A one sided article at most, an attempt to deride President Trump who fighting for fair trade in the steel market and other markets as well, to offset huge trade surpluses created with unfair cunning trade practices.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Firstly, HD was planning to move out of the US since last year. It is not becasue of any new policy. Secondly, Trump is not threatening higher taxes on them, he is telling them they will have to pay import tariffs to sell in the US just like any other importer.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Trump's trade war is going to cost America big time. 

No it is not. Do you realize what the unfair trade policies are costing the US today? It can only get better and it will. These fake news stories are feeding the Lib machine and these haters will be really hating when Trump gets reelected

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

When Trump took office, the economy was humming along pretty good after being brought back from the brink of death in 2008. After Trump had been in office for a couple of months, he took all the credit for everything related to how well the economy was doing. Now it looks a little ridiculous as he's preparing to perform major surgery on what was a healthy patient. Prettttty craaaazy.

What goes around, comes around.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

I see that Dango bong and Derpderp are firm Trump supporters.

I am not I actually voted for Obama. I am a "keep it real" supporter. Harley was planning to leave the US long ago, and the taxes this article talks about is a tariff that any importer would pay.

Its fake news

-14 ( +1 / -15 )

When Trump took office, the economy was humming along pretty good after being brought back from the brink of death in 2008

wow. have you looked at a graph on the US economy? Unemployment, stocks etc? You will notice a sharp change from 2016 to now. Dang this dude is blind

-12 ( +1 / -13 )

@Dango

Humble apologies : )

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Do you realize what the unfair trade policies are costing the US today?

Nothing, and clearly you don't know either when you make claims equating trade imbalances like debt, they are not the same thing.

The fact is Americans consume more than we can make in a lot of gooda. Our only option is to import products. Otherwise, consumption falls and hello recession!

Anyways, why should consumers be forced to pay higher prices? If they want to pqy higher prices for American goods, they can. If they want to buy cheaper goods, they also can. Is that not fair?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

@zichi I could find articles from more reputable sites than "money" saying this is good for the economy. The US is losing billions on unfair deals these policies will increase production in the US and create more jobs.

Harley sells more in Europe than in the US, that is not Trump's fault. The doom and gloom is unwarranted

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

othing, and clearly you don't know either when you make claims equating trade imbalances like debt, they are not the same thing.

I never mentioned debt did you even read what I wrote?

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Other countries charge the US to export and the US will now charge them the same. Call it what you want, I call it fair. This will not kill the US economy. Do you think everyone will stop investing half their GDP in wall street? They will not.

If the Us economy is limping and dying like the chicken little's here think two years from now I will post an apology haha

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Do you realize what the unfair trade policies are costing the US today?*

Nothing, and clearly you don't know either when you make claims equating trade

imbalances like debt, they are not the same thing.

Trade imbalances are part of the current account of a country. The other major component is investment. The U.S. has been able to do OK despite consistent trade deficits because of net positive investments. But a deficit is not a good thing -- in trade or investment. An absolute deficit would ordinarily put downward pressure on the value of the dollar, which would make our exports cheaper, but the U.S. benefits from (still) being a global default currency and a relative safe haven.

The fact is Americans consume more than we can make in a lot of goods.

Our only option is to import products. Otherwise, consumption falls and hello recession!

I am not arguing for it, but there is no reason why the U.S. could not manufacture enough for its own consumption. Manufacturing has been moving offshore because American companies can boost profits this way, while reducing wages paid. Boost domestic manufacturing, increase employment, support the economy. Higher prices may reduce consumption in terms of number of units, but the total amount spent need not fall, and more of the money spent would end up in paychecks of people who need to spend to live.

Anyways, why should consumers be forced to pay higher prices? If they want to pay higher

prices for American goods, they can. If they want to buy cheaper goods, they also can. Is that not fair?

That is fair, but fair doesn't always mean smart. It is a recipe for long-term economic decline, and therefor not in the long-term interest of any American. As a higher and higher percentage of Americans earn lower wages at marginal and service sector jobs, or no jobs at all, either social support services are increased (taxes) or crime and health problem burdens increase (even for wealthy people, who still have to live with, and try to sell their products/services to increasingly poor and problematic people). Also, as manufacturing moves offshore, engineering design follows, business support services follow, investment in plant and equipment follows. Ultimately, our only economic contribution becomes natural resources. Natural resource based economies tend not to do well.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Everyday, we start the day with trump's tweets and end the day with confusions. Life here is getting complicated.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Trump is utterly ignorant regardless of the topic, and doesn't care to listen to people who would be able to save him from his own worst excesses. Result: his own worst excesses.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This trade war is causing problems for the stock market but it's hard to say how it will affect the average consumer. I get the feeling that many of HD's fans are going to be Trump supporters however which may negatively impact sales.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

TomDC, ever heard of that chap, Adam Smith, who wrote a book called "Wealth of Nations"? It's probably available at the library.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As an American Chamber of Commerce member, I would ;like to say that not all agree with the US Chamber of Commerce opinions.

If it takes tariffs to offset unfair trade and gain fair trade, so be it. If it comes to a trade war, I will bet my money on President Trump and The United States of America.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

If only he would bother to find out the facts before he starts a trade war.

Harley does not import their bikes into the US. All the Harleys sold in the US are made in the US.

Trump's tariffs makes Harleys more expensive in Europe, hence their desire to open an assembly plant in Europe.

Harley Davidson is a true small fry on the world stage, but still a large percentage of their sales have been in Europe. For the short term they have decided to eat the cost of the tariffs on bikes shipped to Europe from the US, but in the long run that is not a realistic business model, hence their decision to assemble some bikes in Europe.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

A one sided article at most, an attempt to deride President Trump who fighting for fair trade in the steel market and other markets as well, to offset huge trade surpluses created with unfair cunning trade practices.

yep Trump has put tariffs of EU exports to the detriment of EU workers in favor of US workers, so the EU has put tariffs on US exports to the detriment of US workers, fair is fair afterall.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

What kind of government makes laws that selectively target a specific entity, instead of laws that apply to all

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"You make me look bad, I'll get you for it." How childish and petty. People in their 70s usually have a bit of maturity and wisdom. From trying to help the company, you are now trying to bury them -- bizarre. Unstable. Mental illness.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Don't you just love DT? he's put up taxes on steel etc, now the company is struggling to sell the motor bikes if they don't cut costs, so to do that you have a couple of options, and one of them is moving production to a cheaper source of labour, was it not DT brain storm to keep and secure jobs for the USA citizen's? and make the US all good again, I think this is a classic case of shooting your self in the foot, and thats got nothing to do with the second amendment.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Ray PayneJune 27 05:11 pm JST

If it takes tariffs to offset unfair trade and gain fair trade, so be it. If it comes to a trade war, I will bet my money on President Trump and The United States of America.

don't blame tRump. blame fools like this ↑. they're responsible for the mess that america now finds itself in.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Harley-Davidson Inc with higher taxes on Tuesday and said the motorcycle maker, which he previously hailed as a model of American manufacturing, would suffer from a public backlash if it went ahead with a plan to move production for European customers overseas.

is this like when Hannity's viewers decided to film and upload the destruction of their Keurig coffee makers? will tRump supporters who own Harleys destroy them on YouTube? if so, i'd love to watch that. especially if the destruction involves them racing it into a brick wall without any protective apparel or headwear.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

All Trump's talks are just hot air. As a businessman, he should be well aware that getting the most profit is the top priority unless he was too busy doing the "you are fired" on TV and lost it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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