J.D. Vance defends striking auto workers

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) defended striking auto workers in an op-ed for the Toledo Blade, telling the workers that President Joe Biden’s Electric Vehicle (EV) mandates are “explicitly designed” to send their jobs offshore.

“These are the facts: China dominates the global supply chain for electric vehicles — especially for critical minerals and batteries,” Vance wrote.

He continued:

While an electric vehicle may bear the logo of Ford, Chevy, or Chrysler, its core components were probably made in China with Chinese labor and Chinese materials. Two of the Big Three automakers are losing massive amounts of money on electric vehicles. Ford, for example, loses $32,000 on every EV they sell. These losses lead to lower wages for workers, fewer auto jobs being available, and higher prices for consumers.

Vance pointed to the GM plant at Lordstown, which was shut down in 2019 and now operates making EV batteries with far fewer workers and at lower wages.

He accused Biden of throwing American manufacturing under the bus in favor of a "green agenda" that was essentially controlled by supply chains based in China.

Vance said auto workers could use their leverage to shut down Biden's EV mandates, which have been so damaging to the American economy.