Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to iconic car manufacturer Ford Motor Company, expressing concern over the company’s embrace of Chinese technology.
“I am writing to express the profound concern of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding the strategic trajectory of Ford Motor Company (Ford or Company), specifically as it pertains to American national automotive manufacturing integrity, supply chain exposure, and reliance on technologies of foreign adversaries,” he wrote in the letter. “While DOT recognizes the intense competitive pressures of the global market, the Company’s recent strategic decisions paint a troubling picture of a foundational American brand actively intertwining its future with Chinese state-backed enterprises.”
According to Duffy, Ford has relied on Chinese battery technology, a move that he argued “challenges the spirit of American national and economic security and supply-chain independence policies.” Ford has also launched a joint venture with Chinese automotive company Geely.
“When a company intentionally chooses to deepen operational dependencies on strategic competitors, it fails to act as the reliable partner the American public and this DOT require,” Duffy wrote, adding “Iconic American companies, like Ford, are also expected to out-innovate competitors. To that end, they need to chart clear paths to technological self-reliance,” the letter continued.
In 2023, Ford Motor Company was considered a national security threat after details of its partnership with China emerged.
Despite national security concerns, Ford was ranked as the number one iconic company in the nation by Time Magazine. Just as my great-grandfather put the world on wheels to give people the freedom of movement, our approach to the modern era is rooted in that same spirit. Innovation is not just about building batteries or technology for its own sake; it is about making people’s lives better,” Bill Ford, Ford’s Executive Chair, said in January. “We are leveraging our position as the largest hourly auto employer in the U.S. to ensure that the future of transportation is built by American workers for everyday American families.”
