Trump Calls for California to Let Tesla Factory Open
May 12 2020 - 11:39AM
Dow Jones News
By Rebecca Ballhaus
President Trump has backed Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon
Musk's decision to resume production of cars at its California
plant, siding with the electric-vehicle maker over the local
government in a high-profile standoff as parts of the state
consider reopening.
Mr. Trump weighed in on Twitter Tuesday, writing: "California
should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be
done Fast & Safely!"
A day earlier, Mr. Musk tweeted that Tesla would restart
production at in violation of Alameda County rules. "I will be on
the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it
only be me," he wrote
The company had stopped production at the Fremont, Calif.,
factory, its lone U.S. assembly plant, on March 23. The county
health department said Monday that it had notified the company that
it could only maintain "minimum basic operations" until its plan to
reopen received approval. The company was expected to submit a
site-specific plan Monday, the county said.
"We hope that Tesla will likewise comply without further
enforcement measures," the county said in a statement.
Mr. Trump in recent weeks has begun escalating pressure on state
and local governments around the country to start reopening after
months of sheltering in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. The
president has repeatedly indicated he fears the economic toll of
shutting down will be greater than the harm caused by virus, which
has infected more than 1.3 million and killed more than 80,000 in
the U.S.
Write to Rebecca Ballhaus at Rebecca.Ballhaus@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 12, 2020 11:24 ET (15:24 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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