Exclusive-GM CEO Mary Barra to attend Trump’s state dinner for Xi, sources say

DETROIT, September 22 (Reuters) - General Motors CEO Mary Barra is set to attend President Donald Trump's state dinner at the White House on Thursday for Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to two sources familiar with the situation. However, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa will not be present, as he is currently abroad, reported two sources.

Ford has not commented on whether CEO Jim Farley will attend the dinner. The company has faced criticism from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for its business ties with Chinese firms.

The White House has not yet commented on the matter. The U.S. government has implemented a series of trade barriers and policies to prevent Chinese automakers from entering the market. Despite this, President Trump has expressed willingness to allow foreign auto manufacturers into the country, provided they employ American workers in their plants. On Fox News, Trump stated, "If China wanted to come in and open a plant to build their cars here, I’d be okay with that."

Major automakers, suppliers, and dealers have urged Trump to prevent Chinese automakers from entering the market. Barra will be among a group of tech and industry leaders attending the dinner, including executives from Meta, Apple, Amazon, and Tesla.