Audi CEO faces backlash after joining Trump at midterm campaign rally
Audi CEO Gernot Doellner faced criticism after appearing with Donald Trump at a Georgia campaign rally to announce a planned $4 billion U.S. plant that would produce 200,000 SUVs annually. The plan still requires approval from Volkswagen’s supervisory board.
1. Backlash over rally appearance
Doellner appeared alongside Trump at a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, where Audi announced plans for its first U.S. plant. IG Metall head Christiane Benner said the appearance violated Audi’s political-neutrality guidelines, while Audi’s code of conduct restricts public engagements with politicians standing for election in the three months before an election. A person familiar with the matter said Audi’s management board had approved an exception to the code before the appearance.
2. Plant plan awaits approval
The proposed $4 billion plant would produce 200,000 SUVs annually and requires approval from Volkswagen’s supervisory board, which includes German labour representatives. Audi is considering U.S. production to avoid import tariffs that cost it around €1.2 billion last year. Metzler analysts said the optics were not great as Audi reduces capacity globally, but argued that producing in the United States was the right decision.
