Former President Donald Trump warned of a potential economic crisis for the U.S. automotive industry if he is not re-elected and China floods the market with their products. He made these remarks during a rally in Ohio organized by the Buckeye Values PAC, where he highlighted the looming threat of a trade war with China, especially in the realm of auto manufacturing and electric vehicles.

Trump said:

“If you’re listening, President Xi — and you and I are friends — but he understands the way I deal. Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now … you’re going to not hire Americans and you’re going to sell the cars to us, no. We’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you’re not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected.

“Now if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s gonna be the least of it […] It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it. But they’re not going to sell those cars. They’re building massive factories.”

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Critics within the political sphere and the mainstream media swiftly and deliberately distorted Trump’s statements, attributing intentions to him that were not his own. This occurred despite the clarification provided by Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, who explicitly stated that Trump was referring to the effects of offshoring on the domestic auto industry and his proposed measures to raise tariffs on foreign-made vehicles.

“Crooked Joe Biden and his campaign are engaging in deceptively, out-of-context editing,” he said.