Bill Ford compliments 'respectful' Trump

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford said Monday he speaks with President-elect Donald Trump “frequently” and finds the New York reality star-turned-politician to be informed and respectful.“We talk about all kinds of things,” Ford told reporters at the automaker’s press conference at the Detroit auto show. “Trade policies, currency fluctuations, tax policy; all the things that affect our business. I’ve found him to be very informed and very respectful of our position.”Ford appears to be the automaker’s go-to liaison with the president-elect. He called Trump personally to inform him that Ford was keeping the Lincoln MKC in Kentucky, and called him last week to tell him that Ford would cancel a new $1.6 billion plant in Mexico as CEO Mark Fields called Vice President-elect Mike Pence. Ford also visited Trump Tower during the campaign to speak with the then-Republican nominee about Ford’s business strategy.“He’s very accessible, very easy to talk to,” Ford said. “I’m really pleased.”Ford’s description contrasts Trump’s public persona. He’s repeatedly berated Ford for expanding its Mexico investment, calling out the automaker by name on the campaign trail and on Twitter. Ford said the automaker would not make its business decisions based on the president-elect’s tweets, or threats to impose a 35 percent tariff on all Mexican-built cars sold in the U.S.“He’s not (dictating Ford’s business moves),” Ford said. “We’ll always make the right business decision for Ford, but it’s important we inform him of that. It’s important we understand his policies.”Separately and unprompted, Ford said he’s pleased with Trump’s choice of Elaine Chao to become next Secretary of Transportation.“I know her well, I’ve known her in her prior iterations…and she’s someone I’m very much looking forward to working with,” he said.Barra commentsTrump last week added GM to his list of Twitter attacks, threatening a "big border tax" on GM over Chevy Cruze production in Mexico.“We have more in common than we have differences," GM CEO Mary Barra told journalists in Detroit this week.“This is a long-lead business with investment decisions made 2, 3, 4 years in advance of when they actually roll out. We are very proud of the very significant -- over 100,000 -- jobs that we provide in the United States.”She added: “Our general principle is to build where we sell. That’s primarily what we do, both in China and the United States. As I said, we have much in common and we’re going to look to make the business stronger, to make America stronger but also recognize that we’re a global company.”“It’s too soon to speculate on future allocations.”Nick Bunkley contributed to this report.

Bill Ford compliments 'respectful' Trump

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