Overview
- Senator Elissa Slotkin posted on Sept. 9 that she is hearing “rumors” President Trump plans to allow Chinese-made cars to be sold in the United States and gave no source for the claim.
- The White House and Commerce Department have announced no change to the 100% Section 301 tariff on Chinese-built electric vehicles or to the Commerce Department’s Connected Vehicle Rule that restricts Chinese-jurisdiction vehicle software.
- Lawmakers are already advancing a statutory response: the bipartisan Connected Vehicle Security Act cleared the Senate Commerce Committee in July and would bar Chinese vehicles, components, and software and include an ownership threshold that could reach some Geely-linked brands.
- Regulatory enforcement has left practical barriers in place, with Polestar denied authorization under the Connected Vehicle Rule in June, and Slotkin’s post briefly sent U.S.-listed Chinese EV shares higher before they fell back.
- Xi’s Sept. 24 visit and a tariff truce that expires in November create a short negotiation window but U.S. policy changes would be complex, factory builds in America take years to affect retail supply, and Michigan auto jobs remain central to the political fight.