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'I don't care, I just want it open!': President Trump unleashes on GM over Ohio plant closure
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'I don't care, I just want it open!': President Trump unleashes on GM over Ohio plant closure

Lordstown facility shuttered earlier this month, leaving 1,700 employees out of work

President Donald Trump says he is "not happy" over General Motors' closing of a manufacturing facility in Lordstown, Ohio, earlier this month, and he's pressuring the company to take action for the sake of 1,700 workers who lost their jobs because of the move.

What are the details?

The plant's closure was announced in November as part of GM's plan to lay off 15 percent of its workforce, and Lordstown was ultimately shuttered on March 6.

President Trump reacted via Twitter on Saturday, urging the automaker to act quickly and open the facility back up while praising the U.S. investments made by their competitor, Toyota.

On Sunday, the president lambasted GM and its CEO, Mary Barra, for the decision. He said Barra told him during a phone call that the United Auto Workers union was at fault, to which he replied, "I don't care, I just want it open!"

Earlier in the day, the president had already lashed out at the local UAW president, David Green, saying he "ought to get his act together and produce. ... I want action on Lordstown fast. Stop complaining and get the job done!"

On Monday, President Trump urged GM and UAW leaders to step up talks and "get that big, beautiful plant in Ohio open now."


Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and Rob Portman (R) had also pushed for GM to keep the plant open, but to no avail, CNBC reported.

Anything else?

GM reported near-record pretax profits of $11.8 billion for 2018, according to Fox News. The company's restructuring is expected to save the firm $6 billion by next year.

CBS News reported that GM released a statement saying of the plant closures, "We remain open to talking with all the affected stakeholders, but our main focus remains on our employees and offering them jobs in our plants where we have growth opportunities."

Roughly 700 workers from the Lordstown plant have already transferred out of state.

Trumbull County, where Lordstown is located, has a 7.7 percent unemployment rate, according to The Washington Post — which is more than twice the national rate.

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