*By Christian Smith* Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver says that Harley-Davidson's decision to move some of its motorcycle production abroad is just the first sign of a slowdown in the American economy and that President Trump's tariffs are to blame. "The markets gave (President Trump) some indication that the direction he is going with these tariffs is going to be an impediment for the continued growth for the U.S. economy," Rep. Cleaver, who represents Missouri's Fifth District, said in an interview on Cheddar Tuesday. "I think we're going to end up seeing that (with) the combination of this trillion-dollar tax cut and the tariffs, the United States economy, which has been humming on all cylinders for the last seven years frankly, is going to cool down." The Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer announced Monday that it would [move manufacturing](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/25/business/harley-davidson-us-eu-tariffs.html) for some of its motorcycles destined for sale abroad to its existing international facilities. The company cited recent tariffs implemented by the European Union in retaliation to tariffs imposed by President Trump on the EU. Harley-Davidson said that the tariffs would increase the cost of its motorcycles by about $2,200 each if manufactured in and shipped from the U.S. The EU accounted for about 16.4 percent of the company's global sales in 2017. The iconic American motorcycle company had already announced plans to [close is Kansas City plant](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2018/01/30/harley-davidson-kansas-city-plant-motorcycle-sales-fall/1078008001/) in January due to four straight years of slowing sales. It initially planned to move production to its York, Penn., plant. The company still plans to move forward with the consolidation in addition to shifting some production to international facilities. Altogether, 800 jobs will be eliminated with the Kansas City plant closes, in 2019. President Trump fired back at the company with a barrage of tweets on Tuesday, threatening to tax Harley-Davidson "like never before" if the company followed through with its plan to move some operations abroad. The president added that any shift in production would be "the beginning of the end." Harley-Davidson's decision to close its Kansas City plant hits especially close to home for Rep. Cleaver who was mayor of Kansas City in the early 1990s when the city beat out 100 other competitors to win the plant. City's leaders won out by offering Harley-Davidson a combination of incentives including tax breaks and a $3 million piece of equipment the plant required to comply with Missouri state air quality regulations. "We're going to end up with a vacant building that the taxpayers of Kansas City put money into," Cleaver said. "It could conceivably be years before we are able to attract another business or another company to take that facility." Cleaver added that the president needs to be more aware of the reality that companies will do whatever they need to do to improve their bottom lines ー in this case shipping hundreds of jobs overseas. "It is a complicated issue, and it's not something you can do with a tweet," Cleaver said. For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/trump-takes-aim-at-harley-davidson)

Share:
More In Politics
NC Lawmakers Pass 12-week Abortion Ban; Governor Vows Veto
North Carolina lawmakers on Thursday approved and sent to the governor a ban on nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, down from the current 20 weeks, in response to last year’s overturning of Roe v. Wade at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Justice Clarence Thomas Let GOP Donor Pay Child's Tuition
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas joins other members of the Supreme Court as they pose for a new group portrait, at the Supreme Court building in Washington, Oct. 7, 2022. A Republican megadonor paid two years of private school tuition for a child raised by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who did not disclose the payments, a lawyer who has represented Thomas and his wife acknowledged Thursday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Florida Republicans Pass School Bills on Pronouns, Diversity
Florida Republicans on Wednesday approved bills to ban diversity programs in colleges and prevent students and teachers from being required to use pronouns that don't correspond to someone's sex, building on top priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.
300 Arrested in Global Crackdown on Dark Web Drug Market
Authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested nearly 300 people, confiscated over $53 million, and seized a dark web marketplace as part of an international crackdown on drug trafficking that officials say was the largest operation of its kind.
Supreme Court Justice Stevens' Private Papers Open to Public
Newly opened records that belonged to Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens give the public a behind-the-scenes glimpse at his decades on the court, including the tense struggle over the 2000 presidential election and major cases on affirmative action and abortion.
Load More