President Donald Trump visited Michigan on Monday to argue that his administration’s economic policies have successfully revived the American manufacturing and auto industries. According to apnews.com, the president toured a sprawling General Motors facility in Milford, a Detroit suburb that serves as the company’s vehicle testing ground. GM officials led Trump on a tour to view various models, including Chevrolet Suburbans, GMC Sierras, and Chevrolet Silverados. During the visit, Trump signed the hood of a white Corvette made specifically for America’s 250th birthday.
Trump Defends Tariffs and Tours General Motors Proving Grounds
While Trump praised the impact of his policies, stating that it is amazing what tariffs are doing for GM,
automakers have long argued that import levies increase the cost of doing business and lead to higher prices for consumers. Trump’s visit occurred as a new round of steep import levies took effect on dozens of U.S. trading partners, with tariffs as high as 50% singled out for Canada on products including cars.
The GM facility in Oakland County is the oldest dedicated vehicle testing operation in the United States, employing 4,200 workers to refine nearly every vehicle the company makes. Trump’s wide-ranging speech also touched on the economy, the war in Iran, and military operations in Venezuela, while previewing Michigan’s primary elections.
Performance Cars on Display at Milford Proving Grounds
During the visit, Trump and General Motors CEO Mary Barra watched a series of roaring performance cars at the Milford Proving Grounds, sharing a viewing stand with GM President Mark Reuss. According to USA Today, the presidential visit featured multiple drag races on Black Lake, a 67-acre asphalt skid pad.
The marquee matchup pitted an all-wheel-drive, 1,250-horsepower hybrid V-8/electric Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X against a rear-wheel-drive, 1,064-horsepower ZR1. The ZR1X won the drag race by two car lengths. Other events featured a Cadillac CTS-V Blackwing racing against a Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and a battery-powered GMC Hummer EV taking on a V-8-powered Cadillac Escalade-V. Trump joked with GM CEO Mary Barra after the event, stating, I like that Hummer… I said 'Mary, can you send me a couple of those?'
Trump Blames Biden Administration for Housing Costs
Shifting to the broader economic debate over housing, President Trump has blamed a sharp increase in illegal immigration during the Biden administration for making American housing more expensive. According to AOL, Trump cited draft research from two Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas economists, Daniel J. Wilson and Xiaoqing Zhou, claiming on social media that the research suggests an immigration wave drove up home prices by 30%.
The Congressional Budget Office reported that nearly seven million undocumented immigrants entered the U.S. from 2021 to 2024. However, the Dallas Fed working paper made a more specific claim: that 30% of the rise in residential home prices in an average metropolitan area between 2021 and 2024 could be attributed to illegal immigration, rather than causing overall home prices to jump by 30%.
Researchers estimated that home prices actually rose by 6.3% and rents by 4.3% in the average metro area during that span. Experts noted that a lack of affordable housing long predates the current administration, driven largely by short-run supply constraints where home construction failed to keep pace with demand.
