Trump Praises Nissan’s Move to Boost U.S. Manufacturing


President Donald Trump on Wednesday publicly cheered Nissan’s push to shift more vehicle production to the United States, crediting tariff pressure and singling out Nissan Americas chairman Christian Meunier by name. Nissan has told investors and reporters that it has sharply increased the share of cars sold in the U.S. that are built domestically, is planning to roll out new hybrid technology within roughly 18 months, and is retooling its Canton, Mississippi, plant for electric-vehicle production. All of that is happening while the company pursues a global recovery plan that will cut capacity and jobs worldwide.

Trump’s public shout-out

Trump took to Truth Social to weigh in, writing, “Wow! Congratulations to Nissan, and Christian Meunier, Americas Chairman, on the tremendous success they are having in the U.S….” as reported by the Denver Gazette. The post landed shortly after comments from Nissan executives and was quickly picked up by national business outlets, framing the automaker’s moves as a validation of the administration’s trade playbook.

What Nissan executives are saying

In a Fox Business interview, Meunier said tariffs have reshaped the math for automakers, arguing they are “really pushing all the manufacturers to do the right thing, which is really to build locally and to sell in the U.S.” He said Nissan has lifted the share of U.S.-sold vehicles that are made domestically from about 45% a year ago to more than two-thirds today, with a target of roughly 80%. Meunier added that the company expects to launch new hybrid technology within the next 18 months and that it plans to expand hiring tied to its U.S. production buildout.

Canton retooling and a U.S. battery pact

Nissan has committed approximately $500 million to retool its Canton Assembly Plant in Mississippi for electric-vehicle production, a serious upgrade for a site that has long been a major regional employer. The company has also lined up a battery-supply deal that will send U.S.-manufactured cells to vehicles built there.

The SK On agreement and Nissan’s description of the Canton investment were laid out in a company release published via BusinessWire. The pact is described as supporting roughly 1,700 jobs at the battery supplier, with U.S.-made cells slated for the Canton line starting in 2028.

Restructuring, plant closures and job cuts

Those new U.S. dollars are part of a far more sobering global picture. Nissan’s Re: Nissan restructuring plan calls for consolidating production and shrinking its global headcount in an effort to restore profitability. Industry reporting indicates the company plans to reduce its number of plants from 17 to 10 and to cut roughly 20,000 positions worldwide as part of the plan, according to coverage by WardsAuto.

The Associated Press has also reported on the reductions and noted that trade-policy shifts, including recent tariffs, have been a material factor in Nissan’s financial results.

Policy backdrop: tariffs and incentives

The administration’s mix of tariffs and incentives is designed to reshape where and how automakers invest. The policy package includes offsets and other adjustments intended to nudge companies toward U.S. assembly plants and domestic supply chains rather than overseas production. The White House laid out that framework in a fact sheet that describes how the measures are meant to boost domestic manufacturing and U.S.-based jobs.

For communities from Canton to supplier towns around the Nashville area, the combination of fresh EV investment and sweeping global downsizing creates a complicated local reality. Nissan employs roughly 20,000 people in the United States, a figure cited in national coverage of the company’s recent remarks and plans, and local hiring tied to new battery and EV lines could offset some losses depending on which facilities are retooled and which are shut down. In the coming months, industry watchers will be tracking production timetables, hybrid rollouts, and Nissan’s list of specific plant changes to see how those trade-offs land on the ground.

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U.S. and allies move to build missiles and drones closer to Asia’s flashpoints



A U.S.-led defense manufacturing partnership agreed ⁠to launch a new missile motor production program with Japan, push forward a drone cooperation effort across Asia and explore building a new ammunition production line in the Philippines, the Pentagon ​said on Friday.

The Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience, known ‌as PIPIR, ‌is a group of nations working ​together to build up their weapons and defense manufacturing capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States set it ⁠up in May 2024 to reduce supply chain risks and help ⁠allies produce and maintain military equipment closer to where it might be needed.

The Pentagon published a ​joint statement following ⁠a virtual meeting on Wednesday, where the group welcomed two new members — Thailand and the ⁠United Kingdom — bringing ​its total membership to 16 countries spanning ​both the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

The group said ​it had ‌agreed to set up a new program to produce solid rocket motors — the propulsion systems used in many guided weapons — with Japan taking the lead. The ‌move is seen as a way to boost production capacity outside the United States for a key weapons component.

On drones, members agreed on a series of steps to develop common ​standards ​and shared supply chains for small military drones ​across the region, including work on batteries and small motors ⁠that power them. The group also agreed to explore building drones together across a range of military uses.

On ammunition, members said they would look into ​the Philippines hosting a new facility to load, assemble, and package 30mm cannon rounds — a type of ammunition widely used by military aircraft and ground vehicles.

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Apple to move part of Mac Mini production to US with Houston expansion



Apple Inc. will move part of its Mac Mini production to the United States, with assembly set to begin later this year at a Foxconn facility in north Houston, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Apple Inc. will move part of its Mac Mini production to the United States, with assembly set to begin later this year at a Foxconn facility in north Houston, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Apple will move some
production of its Mac Mini desktop computer ​to the U.S. from
Asia, with a new manufacturing ‌effort set to begin later this
year at ​a Foxconn facility in north Houston, ⁠The Wall Street
Journal reported on Monday.

The plan marks the iPhone maker’s most recent U.S.
investment, following its commitment announced ‌last August to
invest $600 billion in the U.S. over the next four years.

In May, ‌U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened Apple
with ‌a ⁠25% tariff on products manufactured overseas, a ⁠sharp
reversal from earlier policy when his administration had
exempted smartphones, computers and other electronics from
rounds of tariffs on Chinese imports.

The ​production for Mac ‌Mini will continue in Asia, its chief
operating officer Sabih Khan told WSJ, adding that the facility
will meet local demand as the U.S. assembly ‌line ramps up.

It was not immediately clear ​whether Apple plans to
scale down production in its Asia facilities. Apple did not
immediately ⁠respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The company feels more confident projecting long-term demand
for the Mac ‌Mini, which is more popular than the Mac Pro, Khan
added.

It is also expanding the Houston facility to include a new
training center for advanced manufacturing, according to the
report.

Apple has a mixed track record when it comes to following
through on ‌investment promises.

In 2019, for instance, Cook toured a Texas ​factory
with Trump that was promoted as a new manufacturing site.
However, the facility had ⁠been producing Apple computers since
2013 and Apple has since ⁠moved that production to Thailand.

Apple continues to manufacture most of its products,
including iPhones ‌and iPads, in Asia, primarily in China,
although it has shifted some production to Vietnam, Thailand ​and
India in recent years.

Published on February 24, 2026

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Coty Transitions Manufacturing to US: A Strategic Move to Avoid Tariffs


Coty restructures its production in Barcelona. The American cosmetics company will move the fragrances of the mass market category, which includes Adidas, David Beckham or Vera Wang, as well as the mist to its plant in the North American country, pressured by the tariffs imposed by the government of Donald Trump.

 

According to El Economista, the company is also studying the transfer of entry-level products from the prestige division in order to optimize its manufacturing capacity in the United States. The Barcelona plant, located in the city of Granollers, is the largest plant in its entire network. Coty markets the Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss and Gucci brands.

 

To mitigate the tariff impact, the organization has launched a contingency plan with price adjustments and a project to cut costs in order to protect the group’s profitability. Coty estimates the impact of the tariffs at $33 million. The company went into the red in the first half of the current fiscal year.

 

Company sources explain that the Granollers factory remains a “fundamental pillar” and that total production volumes have increased compared to the previous year.

 

 

 

 

Coty sold 2.6% less in the first six months of the current fiscal year, period ending December 31, 2025, to reach a turnover of $3,341.4 million. After entering into losses in the first quarter, in the second quarter of the year the company was in the red at $116.2 million, while in the same period of 2024 the company posted a profit of $30.6 million.

 

On a half-yearly basis, Coty posted a loss of $42.2 million, while in the same period of 2024 it posted a loss of $121.3 million.

 

Adjusted gross operating profit (ebitda), meanwhile, fell by 15%, but remained positive at $330.2 million in the second quarter of 2025.

 

The last few months have also been marked by the exit of Gucci from Coty’s licensing portfolio, following the sale of the beauty catalog of the luxury group Kering to the giant L’Oréal.

 

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U.S. lawmakers move to reverse Canadian tariffs amid manufacturing concerns


The United States House of Representatives has voted to overturn tariffs on Canadian imports, delivering a rare bipartisan rebuke of the administration’s trade policy and offering a measure of relief to North American manufacturers and cross-border supply chains.

Lawmakers backed a resolution disapproving of the “national emergency” used to justify tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed last year on Canadian goods, which critics say have raised costs for U.S. consumers and businesses. The chamber approved the measure 219–211, with six Republicans joining nearly all Democrats in support.

Although the resolution is largely symbolic, due to the fact it would likely face a presidential veto and require a two-thirds majority to override, the vote highlights growing unease in Congress about the economic effects of unilateral trade actions on manufacturing sectors and allied relationships.

Industry and political pressure

Manufacturers that depend on integrated North American supply chains argued the tariffs have disrupted production and raised input costs, complicating planning and competitiveness. Some lawmakers echoed these concerns, saying Congress should reclaim authority over trade policy and protect jobs and economic stability at home.

Proponents of the rollback emphasized that Canada is a close ally and critical trading partner, particularly in automotive parts, machinery and raw materials — sectors heavily intertwined with U.S. manufacturing. Critics of the tariffs point to data showing that much of the tariff burden falls on U.S. consumers and importers rather than on foreign exporters.

The resolution now moves to the U.S. Senate, where a similar bipartisan vote has already occurred, though passage and enactment remain uncertain. Business leaders and lawmakers say long-term stability will depend on broader cooperation on trade and updated policies that reflect the realities of continental manufacturing integration.

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