Trump: Audi to invest US$4.2bn in its first US plant

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced that Audi would build an automobile plant in Georgia, fulfilling his campaign promise to stimulate American manufacturing ahead of the midterm elections. In Perry, Georgia, where Trump rallied supporters in preparation for the November 3 vote, the Republican president touted Audi's $4.2 billion investment in the nearby city of Macon, which would lead to the construction of a plant capable of producing 200,000 cars annually.

Trump credited his aggressive and unpopular tariffs for persuading the German luxury brand, owned by Volkswagen, to establish the facility.

The announcement appeared designed to provide a final push for Republican candidates in Georgia, a battleground state. Representative Mike Collins, a Republican vying to replace Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, stood to benefit from the boost. Campaigning in solidly Republican states as the party seeks to retain control of the House and Senate, Trump had spent October in Georgia, hoping to secure the state's electoral support.

At the rally, Audi's board chairman Gernot Dollner stated that the plant would focus on producing the company's most premium SUVs. Dollner affirmed that the plant, the first of its kind in Georgia, would create approximately 4,500 jobs, with construction set to begin in 2027 and production commencing in the early 2030s. As Republicans anticipate losses in the upcoming midterm elections, they grapple with the challenges of an unpopular president and a dissatisfied electorate, burdened by high costs and the ongoing conflict in Iran.