Trump says electric vehicles will cost UAW jobs; Dingell says former president is anti-EV

DETROIT (FOX 2) - As the current U.S. President and previous President plan dueling events in Michigan amid the UAW strike, democrats are hoping to earn points with voters by getting President Joe Biden on the picket line while Donald Trump, the Republican leading nominee, is trying to take away the debate over electric vehicles.

The UAW strike will make way on Tuesday for Presidential politics as both Biden and Trump visit Michigan within 24 hours of each other. 

Democrats are hoping to earn points with voters over Trump's stance on the strike and electric vehicles. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell is denying that Trump has stolen the EV issue away from Democrats.

"He did not. He did not take it away from us. What he is doing is being anti-EV," Dingell said.

On Wednesday, Trump will be in Macomb County for a rally with current and former UAW workers where he's expected to continue beating his anti-EV drum while telling his audience that autoworkers will lose their jobs if President Biden, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and other Democrats continue to push for EVs.

UAW strike: Joe Biden, Donald Trump plan visits to Michigan this week

Dingell said that this argument is not dissimilar to one that happened years ago when Japanese carmakers flooded the U.S. market with small cars and caught the domestic car industry flat-footed. Dingell said the Big Three can't make that mistake again.

"We weren't ready to build small cars and we took a beating there. We can't take another beating. We've got to be ready to build those elective vehicles now and doing it is a competitive way," Dingell said.

Biden will walk the picket line with strikers on Tuesday in a pre-emptive move against Trump's gig in Macomb County – as the race for the White House (and votes from UAW members) in 2024 already starts to take shape.