Trump held call with GM, Ford CEOs on potential auto tariff delay

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump held a telephone Tuesday with the CEOs of General Motors and Ford and the seat of Stellantis to sermon the imaginable of delaying tariffs connected North American-built vehicles by 30 days, 2 sources told Reuters.

Automakers person offered to boost U.S. car investments but privation certainty astir tariff and biology policies, the sources added, noting that Trump could connected April 2 enforce further tariffs that could drastically interaction U.S. car production.

GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Jim Farley on with Ford enforcement president Bill Ford and Stellantis seat John Elkann told portion successful the call. The automakers person urged Trump to waive 25% tariffs connected Mexico and Canada connected vehicles that comply with the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement's rules of origin.

The automakers declined to comment. Stellantis told dealers it was consenting to grow U.S. investment. The White House did not instantly comment.

Limiting the alleviation to vehicles that are successful compliance could deed immoderate overseas automakers that person opted to wage the 2.5% tariff to export vehicles from Mexico to the United States alternatively than comply with the North American escaped commercialized rules.

Trump, successful his legislature code connected Tuesday, said helium had spoken to apical executives astatine the Detroit Three automakers that time and said tariffs and different policies volition effect successful higher maturation and "allow our car manufacture to boom."

Stellantis said it needs clip earlier making large changes.

"We are prepared to enactment with the Trump medication to enactment further concern successful our U.S. manufacturing footprint but we request clip to marque these changes without negatively impacting the concern and our customers," Stellantis said successful an email seen by Reuters.

The automakers besides pitched the thought to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick successful a virtual gathering past week.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)