President Donald Trump defended his tariff strategy during a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, arguing that import duties have enriched the United States while announcing that Volkswagen AG has agreed to build a new $4.2 billion Audi manufacturing facility in the state.
“Think of that. 200,000 cars a year. That’s incredible,” Trump told the crowd, describing the project as the single largest investment in modern U.S. auto industry history. “Without tariffs, they wouldn’t be coming in.”
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, appearing alongside the president at the rally, confirmed the company’s commitment to the region. “We are planning to bring our biggest and most premium SUVs and produce them here in Macon, Georgia,” Döllner said, calling the initiative a long-term investment driven by confidence in the American market.
According to a U.S. official involved in the negotiations who spoke anonymously, Volkswagen plans to manufacture the Audi Q7, Q8, and Q9 models at the new Georgia greenfield site, with construction scheduled to begin soon. Additionally, the automaker will expand its Scout Motors facility currently under construction in Blythewood, South Carolina, adding 25,000 units of annual capacity for an unannounced model.
The high-profile manufacturing announcement provides a timely political boost for Trump, who has faced defensive questioning regarding the domestic inflationary impact of his tariffs across several competitive battleground Senate races. With the November 3 midterm elections less than two weeks away, Republicans are campaigning aggressively to flip the Senate seat currently held by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff.
Despite the economic news, the Republican campaign faces significant headwinds in Georgia. The RealClearPolitics polling average shows Ossoff leading Republican candidate Representative Mike Collins by more than eight percentage points, while the nonpartisan Cook Political Report classifies the contest as a likely Democratic hold. Republicans are navigating a challenging political landscape marked by voter anxieties over living costs, wage growth, and energy price spikes driven by the conflict in Iran.
Voter reactions at the rally reflected a split electorate. Richard Motes, a 61-year-old Perry resident and former aircraft manufacturing worker, welcomed the prospect of new industrial jobs. Conversely, 55-year-old rally attendee Chris Capp expressed mixed feelings about the president’s campaigning impact amid declining national approval ratings, noting that local sentiment remains divided.
The Georgia political map also features a competitive gubernatorial race between Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms and Republican Rick Jackson, rated as a toss-up by the Cook report. Former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign in the state alongside Ossoff and Bottoms.
Trump’s visit to Georgia highlights the state’s continued battleground status following his victories there in 2016 and 2024 and his defeat in 2020. Ahead of upcoming voting, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger recently stated that he expects state election results to be finalized by midnight on Election Day.
