OEMs

Trump warns John Deere of tariffs if manufacturing moves to Mexico: Report

Written by Ethan Bernard

September 24, 2024

Former President Donald Trump has said he will place a 200% tariff on John Deere products imported into the US if the company makes good on previously announced plans to move some production to Mexico, according to a report in Reuters.

At an event in Pennsylvania, Trump reportedly said if the company follows through with shifting manufacturing to Mexico and he is again elected US president, “We are putting a 200% tariff on everything that you want to sell into the United States.”

Earlier this year, the Moline, Ill.-based manufacturer announced layoffs in the Midwest, as well as the moving of production of skid steer and compact track loaders from Iowa to Mexico by the end of 2026, according to a report in Fox Business News.

When asked for a response to Trump’s comments, a Deere spokesperson pointed SMU to a webpage on the company’s commitment to American manufacturing.

Deere has invested more than $2 billion into American factories since 2019, according to the site.

However, the company noted that “in order to position our US factories to undertake these highly value-additive activities, it is sometimes necessary to move less complex operations, such as cab assembly, to other locations.”

Ethan Bernard

Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA. in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

Read more from Ethan Bernard

Latest in OEMs