Trump claims Harris Administration would harm SC auto workers despite recent growth

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

(WPDE) — Towards the end of the Trump-Harris debate, former President Trump said a potential Harris Administration would hurt auto workers in South Carolina by carrying over Biden’s economic policies.

Former President Trump said, “They will kill the united auto workers, and any auto worker, whether it’s in Detroit, or in South Carolina, or any other place. What they’ve done to business and manufacturing in this country is horrible.”

There have been multiple new economic development announcements from auto manufacturing companies in South Carolina in recent years, with billions of dollars of investments and thousands of new jobs.

Among them, Scout Motors started construction on its two billion dollar electric SUV plant near Columbia last week.

In Florence, a 3.1 billion dollar investment from AESC on an EV battery plant amid construction will bring thousands of new jobs to the Pee Dee.

BMW is also bringing its EV battery production facility to the Palmetto state.

The Commerce Department said South Carolina now leads the nation in export sales of tires and passenger vehicles.

Earlier this year, E-VAC Magnets announced it was building an E-V component facility, creating 300 jobs in Sumter County.

ABC 15 reached out to the State Department of Employment and Workforce to shed more light on the current economic outlook for motor vehicle manufacturing.

“Advanced manufacturing is one of the cornerstones of our state’s economic development strategy, and the automotive sector is a key part of that,” saidAssistant Executive Director for Labor Market Information Dr. Bryan Grady. “South Carolina is an appealing destination for companies looking to build, as manufacturing employment is growing more than twice as fast here versus nationally. This rapid pace of job creation will only continue with the Scout Motors plant being constructed in Blythewood.”

DEW statistics show motor vehicle manufacturing jobs have grown more than two-fold since 2015. The amount of jobs has grown from 6,640 roughly 10 years ago to 14,400 last year.