2 weeks Ago
GREER — A bipartisan collection of South Carolina lawmakers and business leaders is inviting President Donald Trump to visit BMW Manufacturing's Upstate plant after a White House trade advisor criticized the automaker's business on national TV. Peter Navarro, economist and the president's trade adviser, appeared on CNBC April 7 to discuss Trump's planned 10 percent global tariffs and 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles. In that conversation, he criticized Mercedes and BMW's manufacturing process in Spartanburg County, calling it "detrimental to the U.
S. economy and national security." His comments sparked backlash from BMW and Upstate lawmakers who vouched for the automaker's financial commitment — one of the largest in the Palmetto State's history — saying the company is good for the state and country.
In the wake of Navarro's comments, South Carolina lawmakers extended a bipartisan invitation for the president to visit BMW's facility in Greer, which exported 225,000 vehicles worth more than $10 billion last year. Spartanburg County Councilmember David Britt, a Republican, helped recruit BMW in the late '90s. Britt, who called Navarro a "voodoo economist" in an interview with The Post and Courier , said he's reached out to the Trump administration to invite the president's team here.
"I'd much rather have us in the president's ear than Peter Navarro," Britt said. "BMW is the golden goose not only for the Upstate, but for South Carolina." In the TV appearance, Navarro said that rather than buy from U.
S. suppliers, BMW's "business model" relies on critical imported components such as engines that are engineered and built in Europe for assembly in South Carolina. "That doesn't work for America.
It's bad for our economics. It's bad for our national security. We want them to come here," Navarro said.
The back and forth came as Trump was set to impose a flurry of tariffs last week to help ignite a domestic manufacturing boom. But the president abruptly backed down, giving most countries other than China a 90-day negotiating reprieve on many products. He's now considering temporarily relieving the auto industry from “permanent” tariffs he previously imposed on the business.
U.S. Rep.
William Timmons, a Republican who represents Spartanburg and Greenville counties, told The Post and Courier he reached out to the White House to share more information about BMW's investment after the CNBC segment. Timmons thought the president and his advisor conflated BMW with the Mercedes Sprinter van facility in North Charleston, which opened in 2006 to reassemble partially built utility vans imported from Germany. The 1,700-worker factory started full production of the vehicles in 2018 following a $500 million investment.
In an October Bloomberg interview , Trump previously rankled Upstate business leaders by saying some auto plants, like those in South Carolina, merely assemble cars as opposed to building them. Timmons also invited the president and his advisors to visit BMW here in the Upstate. "We are proud BMW calls SC-04 home and is considering boosting production by 80,000 units here in the U.
S.," Timmons said. "My job is to advocate for the people of South Carolina, and I will continue to do just that.
” Spokesperson Steve Wilson said BMW would welcome a trip by President Donald Trump to Plant Spartanburg. "We would be honored to show him the fantastic things our 11,000 associates are doing, share with him how BMW is contributing to the American automotive industry and economic growth in the United States, and discuss the exciting future of BMW in America," Wilson said in an email. Brandon Charochak, spokesperson for Gov.
Henry McMaster, said the president has an open invitation from the governor to visit South Carolina "any time he likes." BMW is almost done expanding its plant for electric vehicle assembly, as well as building a new facility to make high-voltage batteries in Woodruff about 30 minutes from Spartanburg. The first electric vehicle from Plant Spartanburg will be shipped in late 2026, the company said.
By 2030, the BMW Group will assemble at least six fully electric models in the U.S. BMW, headquartered in Germany, has warned it could lose $1.
1 billion in 2025 under a full year of tariffs on steel and aluminum, vehicle imports from Mexico and tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles implemented by the European Union. In a statement last week, the company called for a trade agreement that benefits both sides of the Atlantic. "The EU and the US are the world's largest trading partners, which brings great responsibility," said Nathalie Bauters, head of corporate communications.
"The current negotiations should be used to remove long-standing trade barriers, thereby strengthening both economic regions." The tariffs pose an additional hurdle for BMW as the company navigates the choppy waters of the EV market . Trump has floated the idea of eliminating a federal tax credit for EVs and frozen billions in funding set to go to EV charging stations.
Republicans weren't the only ones to extend an invitation to the president this week. State Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, introduced a Senate resolution April 15 recognizing BMW's contributions to the state and formally inviting Trump to the Upstate.
“BMW has been a game changer for South Carolina,” Hutto said in a press release from the South Carolina Democratic Party. “Their presence has driven billions of dollars in economic growth, supported tens of thousands of jobs, and helped position our state as a world leader in advanced manufacturing. We believe President Trump should see this success story for himself.
” The resolution adopted by the South Carolina Senate calls for copies to be sent to the president and the state’s congressional delegation. Meanwhile, Upstate U.S.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump's main allies, told Aiken Republicans April 15 that automaker CEOs — BMW among them — have asked him to arrange a meeting with Trump. "That's a good thing," Graham added.
"They want to meet with him fairly soon, and I'll be there. They're coming up with plans to invest billions of dollars more in America." The White House didn't return a request for comment.
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