Trump administration has ‘profound concern’ over Ford ties to China
U.S. President Donald Trump and CEO of Ford Jim Farley clap, as President Trump visits a Ford production center, in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., January 13, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
The Trump administration expressed “profound concern” Tuesday about Ford Motor‘s ties to Chinese companies that it believes could be detrimental to the Detroit carmaker and U.S. automotive industry.
In a letter addressed to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy questioned the automaker’s strategic trajectory with Chinese companies “as it pertains to American national automotive manufacturing integrity, supply chain exposure, and reliance on technologies of foreign adversaries.”
As examples, Duffy cited Ford’s ties to Chinese companies such as battery provider CATL and referenced a framework proposed during an auto show earlier this year in Detroit “to facilitate Chinese joint ventures on United States soil.”
Ford has a licensing agreement to utilize battery technologies, including the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., or CATL.
Ford’s deal with CATL was originally announced in 2023 but has draw renewed attention amid tensions between the U.S. and China as well as Ford’s plan to use the battery technologies for energy storage systems.
Ford, which regularly touts its position as the top-producing automaker in the U.S., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ford CEO Jim Farley at a battery lab for the automaker in suburban Detroit, announcing a new $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant in the state to produce lithium iron phosphate batteries, Feb. 13, 2023.
Michael Wayland/CNBC
“While DOT recognizes the intense competitive pressures of the global market, the Company’s recent strategic decisions paint a troubling picture of a foundational American brand actively intertwining its future with Chinese state-backed enterprises,” Duffy’s letter read.
Duffy urged Farley, who has been complimentary of Chinese competitors as well as the Trump administration’s attempt to promote U.S. manufacturing, to “reflect on these concerns and national necessities and adopt reasonable strategies that prioritize American workers, utilize allied supply chains, and promote the self-reliance and integrity of the domestic automotive industry.”
— CNBC’s Meghan Reeder and Phil LeBeau contributed to this report.
Read More: Trump administration has ‘profound concern’ over Ford ties to China