Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is claiming credit for a decision by Ford Motors to move a plant in Mexico to the U.S. On Sunday, he issued a tweet saying as much:
Word is that Ford Motor, because of my constant badgering at packed events, is going to cancel their deal to go to Mexico and stay in U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2015But in true political fashion, Trump's claims lack specifics. What the heck is he talking about here?
The Washington Post breaks it down. The short version: Trump is likely referencing a faulty article posted to a website for Printly, which isn't a newspaper but rather a company that sells postcards and political campaign materials.
The article was widely circulated among Trump supporters — and riddled with factual errors. Chief among them: The article claimed that Ford will be moving its $2 billion Mexican plant to "struggling Youngstown, Ohio."
A Ford spokeswoman told the Washington Post that Ford does not have any facilities in Youngstown. What is true is that in August, trucks that were "previously assembled in Mexico" started rolling off an assembly line in Avon Lake, Ohio. But the origin of that deal goes back to 2011, when Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Ford negotiated to keep the Avon Lake plant open by moving some truck-assembly operations from Mexico in exchange for a tax credit.
Kasich was understandably miffed at having the credit stolen from him by Trump, issuing a series of tweets of his own on Sunday evening lambasting the candidate's "empty, false rhetoric."
A Ford spokeswoman told the Washington Post that the company will still build facilities in Mexico.
Nope.
Together OHIO brought Ford back from Mexico: https://t.co/wT81dJ8vcd https://t.co/WN4bpdTFiX
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) October 26, 2015Our country needs real leadership and not empty, false rhetoric.
https://t.co/uwfjuIoVjW
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) October 26, 2015
