What specific Ford business relationships with Chinese firms did the Trump administration criticize, and why?

The Trump administration, through U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, criticized Ford's licensed technology arrangement with Chinese battery maker CATL at its Marshall, Michigan plant; its joint venture with Geely in Spain, which Duffy claimed helps 'strategic adversaries secure a vital foothold in Western markets'; and Ford's ongoing talks with BYD for hybrid vehicle components, which he warned could lead to 'further embedding subsidized foreign technology into Ford's core supply chains.' Duffy also condemned Ford's decision to keep Lincoln Nautilus production in China until 2030, calling it an 'unacceptable, multi-year window of reliance on Chinese manufacturing.' All these relationships were cited as raising 'profound concern' and prompting USDOT to declare it was 'deeply alarmed' by Ford's actions.

What national security concerns did the Trump administration explicitly link to Ford's partnerships with CATL, Geely, and BYD?

The Trump administration explicitly linked Ford's partnerships with CATL, Geely, and BYD to national security concerns by asserting that Ford's use of CATL-licensed battery technology in Michigan undermines domestic technological sovereignty; that the Geely joint venture in Spain enables 'strategic adversaries' to gain a 'vital foothold in Western markets'; and that sourcing hybrid vehicle components from BYD risks 'embedding subsidized foreign technology into Ford's core supply chains.' Additionally, maintaining Lincoln Nautilus production in China through 2030 was labeled an 'unacceptable, multi-year window of reliance on Chinese manufacturing'—framed not as an economic or trade issue alone, but as a direct vulnerability to U.S. national security.

Trump Administration Blasts Ford Business Deals with Chinese Firms

Sep 8, 2026

The U.S. Transportation Department raised national security concerns over Ford's partnerships with Chinese battery maker CATL and automakers Geely and BYD, citing reliance on subsidized foreign technology in core supply chains.

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Trump Administration Blasts Ford Business Deals with Chinese Firms

Trump Administration Blasts Ford Business Deals with Chinese Firms

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