U.S. President Donald Trump and CEO of Ford Jim Farley clap, as President Trump visits a Ford production center, in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S., January 13, 2026.
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters
The Trump administration expressed “profound concern” Tuesday about Ford Motor‘s ties to Chinese companies that it believes could be detrimental to the Detroit carmaker and U.S. automotive industry.
In a letter addressed to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy questioned the automaker’s strategic trajectory with Chinese companies such as battery provider CATL “as it pertains to American national automotive manufacturing integrity, supply chain exposure, and reliance on technologies of foreign adversaries.”
Ford has a licensing agreement to utilize battery technologies, including the production of lithium iron phosphate batteries, from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., or CATL.
Ford did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“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,” the letter read.
Ford’s deal with CATL was originally announced in 2023 but has draw renewed attention amid tensions between the U.S. and China as well as Ford’s plan to use the battery technologies for energy storage systems.
— CNBC’s Meghan Reeder and Phil LeBeau contributed to this report.
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