Trump spoke while his Republican rivals were participating in the second presidential debate in California that he skipped because of his lead in national polls. It was also a gambit to peel off union support for President Joe Biden in Michigan, where members of the striking United Auto Workers are worried about job security in the transition to EVs.
The former president also attacked General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. for not resisting Biden’s EV policies, and he sought to drive a wedge between union leaders who have historically supported Democrats and the rank and file that includes Republicans, imploring union members to get their leadership to endorse him. UAW President Shawn Fain has ruled out backing Trump but has not endorsed Biden.Biden visited a picket line at a General Motors Co.
“I don’t think he cares about working-class people,” Fain told reporters on Tuesday after Biden’s visit. “He cares about the billionaire class, he cares about the corporate interests, and I think he’s just trying to pander to people and say what they want to hear.”