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Ford Motor Company executives are voicing strong support for President Donald Trump’s latest round of auto tariffs, describing the new trade measures as a major boost for American manufacturing and fair competition.
During a recent earnings call, Ford CEO Jim Farley praised the administration’s policy, which raises import duties on trucks and parts, saying it gives U.S. producers a level playing field.
“I’d like to thank President Trump and his team for the recent tariff policy developments, which are favorable to Ford as the most American auto manufacturer,” Farley said. “In addition, tariffs leveling the playing field for those imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks is a positive for Ford because we are no longer disadvantaged for building every single one of our Super Duty trucks here in the United States.”
The tariffs were enacted through an executive order Trump signed on Oct. 17 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The order, titled “Adjusting Imports of Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles, Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Parts, and Buses into the United States,” imposes a 25% tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks and related parts, and a 10% tariff on imported buses. The policy took effect Nov. 1.
According to a White House fact sheet, the move is intended to “strengthen national security and protect American manufacturing.” The administration said that foreign imports of trucks and parts “threaten to impair the national security” by weakening the domestic industrial base and deepening reliance on overseas supply chains.
The industry response has been mixed, although less critical than during previous rounds of tariffs. Automakers initially warned of significant financial strain, but many have since reduced those estimates. CNN reported that Ford cut its projected 2025 tariff-related costs in half, from $2 billion to $1 billion. General Motors also revised its projection downward, lowering expected costs by about $500 million.
The new policy follows a national security investigation conducted earlier in 2025, which concluded that imported trucks and parts were undermining domestic production capacity. Those findings formed the basis for Trump’s executive order and the new tariff schedule.
For Ford, the impact is largely positive. Because the company builds all of its heavy-duty trucks in the United States, the tariffs target foreign competitors without affecting its own production. Farley said the policy rewards companies that invest in American workers and manufacturing.