This morning I saw a post on Facebook about a Ford plant in my county in Ohio. The article is one of the worst examples of rewriting history that I have ever seen.
Trump cultist falsely writes that Ford move from Mexico to Ohio was because of Trump
The article was published on a site called “Prntly” by someone named Dmitri Voltova, who claims that he moved to the US from a former Soviet Republic.
Dmitri Voltova was born in the USSR Russian SFR. He moved to the United States after the fall of the Soviet Union, and is a proud contributor to Prntly with a voice from the former communist empires.
The bulk of the site’s articles is blatantly pro-Trump and the Ford article is full of several errors, but that hasn’t stopped Donald Trump from citing it and taking credit.
First, yes, Ford did move a major production line from Mexico to Ohio.
The problem for Trump? It was announced four years ago. We even wrote about it here at 3BP.
Yesterday, we talked about how the Kasich administration approved incentive for 30 new jobs projects. Another one of the big projects included will secure the future of jobs at Ford’s Avon Lake assembly plant. With the new incentives, Ford actually plans on bringing medium duty truck production out of Mexico and to Ohio. From the Lorain Morning Journal:
“Their visit will highlight the importance of the partnership with our state and local governments in moving production of the F-650 and F-750 from Mexico to our facility,” the plant advisory said. “We are also insourcing the F53 motor home chassis and F59 commercial stripped chassis production from an outside supplier.
“Furthermore, your ongoing commitment to delivering a high quality product to our customers is making this investment possible,” the plant advisory said. “We want to thank all of you for your contributions in securing the future of the Ohio Assembly Plant.”
Let’s be absolutely clear. Donald Trump had nothing to do with this. It happened in 2011.
This move was the result of a negotiations and deals between Ford, the Kasich administration, local officials and the UAW. Period.
This past summer, after millions of dollars of investment in the plant, the first heavy duty Ford truck rolled off the assembly line in the re-tooled Avon Lake, Ohio plant. Mr. Voltova seems to have read this CNN Money article about it, and decided to inexplicably give Trump the credit.
Voltova also wrongly states that the Ford plant is located in Youngstown, Ohio, which is 90 miles away. Fittingly, the article features an obviously manipulated photo showing Trump standing in an auto plant speaking at a podium in the path of a moving assembly line.
What’s disturbing is that Trumpkins and Trump himself are now citing this ridiculous and poorly written article as proof that Trump pressured Ford into this move.
It was quoted on Right Wing News, and the Donald himself is tweeting about it.
"@ObfuscateClear: Wow, imagine what he'll do as President. Thanks @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/mZzQhDjoIO" FORD LISTENED TO ME, GREAT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2015
Word is that Ford Motor, because of my constant badgering at packed events, is going to cancel their deal to go to Mexico and stay in U.S.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2015
Do you think I will get credit for keeping Ford in U.S. Who cares, my supporters know the truth. Think what can be done as president!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2015
Trump constantly brags about accomplishments that he was never responsible for, and this is no exception.
But what’s sadder is that the person who posted this on Facebook was a Lorain County Commissioner when the great news of this announcement was made back in 2011. He knows full well that it was four years ago and that Donald Trump had absolutely zero involvement. Yet he posted it on Facebook anyway, knowing it’s a lie.
Donald Trump’s minions apparently don’t care what is true and what is not. Just like Trump himself.
UPDATE: Here are additional links from 2011 proving that Ford announced this four years ago.
Ford to move truck production from Mexico to Ohio
Truck line coming to Avon Lake Ford plant
Ford investing $128 million in Avon Lake plant
Trump continues to take credit.
"@DanSaltsman: @realDonaldTrump @Ford @crainsdetroit @detnews @CNBC https://t.co/k2JFVTDDbW Do you think Hillary, Ben or Jeb could do this?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2015
UPDATE: Ford just confirmed our story. The decision to move truck production from Mexico to the Avon Lake, Ohio plant was made in 2011. Trump wasn’t involved.
“Ford has not spoken with Mr. Trump, nor have we made any changes to our plans,” it said in a statement released Monday.
“We decided to move the F-650 and the F-750 medium-duty trucks to Ohio Assembly in 2011, long before any candidates announced their intention to run for U.S. president,” Ford said.