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According to Roadandtrack, Ford CEO Jim Farley is positioning the company to influence upcoming trade negotiations as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) nears its 2036 expiration. The executive is pushing for a framework that rewards domestic manufacturing while imposing hurdles on vehicles imported from global competitors.
Advocating for domestic production rewards
Farley expressed a firm stance that the current competitive landscape favors companies that can leverage lower labor costs abroad. He believes that automakers who prioritize U.S.-based assembly should be shielded from unfair competition by brands that bring in high volumes of foreign-made machinery. The goal is to create a trade environment where domestic production is not at a disadvantage compared to imports from regions with different economic structures.
The CEO highlighted specific regions as primary sources of concern for the American market:
- Vehicles imported from Japan
- Automobiles sourced from South Korea
- Global competitors utilizing non-domestic labor markets
"It’s imperative that any new agreement makes it easier, not harder, to compete with U.S. makers who import from Japan, South Korea and global competitors that import from those locations," — Jim Farley, Ford CEO.
Ford's manufacturing footprint vs rivals
The push for protectionism is backed by Ford’s own production figures. In 2025, the company assembled more than 2 million vehicles within the United States, accounting for approximately 80 percent of its domestic sales. While Ford does import roughly 378,000 units—including models like the Bronco Sport and Maverick from Mexican facilities—the brand maintains a high ratio of U.S.-built machinery compared to many of its peers.
The comments are often interpreted as a critique of General Motors, which remains one of the largest importers in the country. In 2025, General Motors brought over 1.17 million vehicles into the U.S., including several compact SUVs from South Korea and larger trucks from Mexico. These imports represented 41 percent of the brand's total domestic sales. Farley argues that these high import volumes create an uneven playing field for companies that employ more UAW workers and maintain higher domestic production standards.
As negotiations begin to reshape the future of North American trade, the automotive industry remains divided on whether a trilateral deal should remain intact or be replaced by a system that prioritizes local manufacturing over global supply chains. The outcome of these talks will likely determine the long-term viability of domestic assembly plants across the Midwest.