UAW chief criticizes Trump ties to Musk while campaigning for Harris By Reuters

By Nandita Bose and Kanishka Singh

DETROIT (Reuters) – United Auto Staff President Shawn Fain on Wednesday criticized Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s ties to billionaire Elon Musk while campaigning for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Musk endorsed Trump for November’s election after the previous president survived an assassination try in July. Later that month, the Wall Road Journal reported Musk deliberate to commit round $45 million a month to a brand new pro-Trump tremendous political-action committee. Nonetheless, after that report’s publication, each Musk and Trump mentioned the Tesla (NASDAQ:) CEO by no means pledged any such donation.

“For months, Donald Trump has gone round trashing our state, trashing our business, trashing the American autoworker, saying he was towards electrical autos. After which one thing occurred,” Fain mentioned on Wednesday while campaigning for Harris.

“We noticed Elon Musk announce he was going to give Donald Trump $45 million {dollars} a month. And abruptly, guess what, Trump modified his tune,” Fain added, calling Trump a “sellout.”

Trump has opposed any electrical automobile mandate and been important of EV insurance policies below Democratic President Joe Biden however he has mentioned not too long ago he helps electrical autos.

“I am for electrical automobiles. I’ve to be, as a result of Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I’ve no selection,” Trump mentioned at a weekend rally, however added he helps electrical autos “for a small slice.” He went on to add: “You need to have gas-propelled automobiles, you need to have hybrids, you need to have each sort of a automobile possible.”

UAW has endorsed Harris, who grew to become the Democratic presidential candidate not too long ago after Biden stepped apart as candidate.