The head of luxury carmaker Audi drew criticism from German political figures and labor leaders after appearing on stage with Donald Trump at a campaign rally to announce a substantial investment in Georgia. The announcement came only days before midterm elections in the United States.
Gernot Döllner joined Trump at the event in Perry near Macon, where the two announced that Audi would invest $4 billion to construct its first factory in the United States and create approximately 4,500 jobs. The facility would begin construction next year and commence vehicle production in the 2030s, initially focusing on premium sport utility vehicles with a target capacity of 200,000 units annually.
The appearance drew significant pushback from German officials and labor representatives. Daniela Cavallo, head of the Volkswagen works council, characterized Trump’s speech as containing “racism, sexism, transphobia [and] contempt for democracy” and criticized Döllner’s participation as turning the company into a “puppet in the propaganda show.” Isabel Cademartori, transport spokesperson for Germany’s Social Democrats, called the actions a “disgrace,” while Christiane Benner, head of the IG Metall trade union, labeled the appearance “extremely embarrassing” and accused Döllner of breaching the company’s code of conduct requiring political neutrality during elections. Benner, who serves as deputy chair of Volkswagen’s supervisory board, noted that such major investments require board approval.
The move reflects competitive pressures facing Audi in the American market. As the only premium automaker without a dedicated US factory, Audi has been particularly vulnerable to Trump’s 15 percent import tariffs, which cost the company an estimated €1.2 billion in the previous year. Volkswagen is simultaneously undertaking significant restructuring efforts in Germany, with plans to cut tens of thousands of positions and close multiple plants to address competition from Chinese manufacturers and transition costs related to electric vehicle production.
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