Duffy blasts Ford over ties to Chinese automakers

Government Business Technology Equipment Safety Duffy blasts Ford over ties to Chinese automakers Transportation secretary cites Ford deals with CATL and Geely in a letter to CEO Jim Farley Amy Stillman and Gabrielle Coppola | Bloomberg News September 8, 2026 4:30 PM, EDT Sean Duffy said DOT “remains deeply alarmed” by Ford’s use of technology licensed from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. to produce batteries at a plant in Michigan. (Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg) Key Takeaways: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized Ford’s ties to Chinese automakers and battery technology suppliers in a letter to CEO Jim Farley. Duffy said Ford’s partnerships could give Chinese state-backed companies a foothold in Western markets. Chinese vehicles are effectively shut out of the U.S. market by steep tariffs and a Commerce Department ban on so-called connected-vehicle systems from U.S. adversaries. [Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.] Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy blasted Ford Motor Co. for the automaker’s business ties to major players in China’s auto industry. In a letter to Ford CEO Jim Farley, Duffy said his department “remains deeply alarmed” by Ford’s use of technology licensed from China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. to produce batteries at a plant in Michigan. Meanwhile, Ford’s recent joint venture with Chinese automaker Geely in Spain “helps strategic adversaries secure a vital foothold in Western markets,” Duffy said in the letter. “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,” Duffy said. Ford’s shares extended declines after Duffy’s letter was made public, falling as much as 5.1% as of 3:28 p.m. in New York on Sept. 8. A representative for Ford had no immediate comment. Image The steering wheel of a 2025 Ford Lightning electric vehicle. Ford had no immediate comment after Duffy lashed out. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg) The letter represents an unusually stark warning to the Dearborn, Mich.-based carmaker as worries grow about threats posed by China’s auto industry. Chinese vehicles are effectively shut out of the U.S. market by steep tariffs and a Commerce Department ban on so-called connected-vehicle systems from U.S. adversaries, including China. Some politicians want Congress to go a step further, by enshrining into law a permanent ban on Chinese cars and connected-vehicle technologies from the country. Still, Chinese vehicles are rapidly gaining market share around the world. Their growth in Mexico and Canada’s deal to import a limited number of Chinese EVs there has amplified worries they could eventually enter the U.S. market. The largest trade association for automakers in the U.S. urged lawmakers to permanently ban Chinese vehicles last week, citing the threats they pose to domestic economic and national security interests. More Content About: Ford, Sean Duffy, China Related Articles Trump Presses China to Quadruple US Soybean Purchases DOT Funding for Rural Air Service Could Lapse Oct. 12 Top US, Chinese Officials Pledge Cooperation on Trade Deal