Republicans celebrate regulatory rollback in Ford Ohio Assembly Plant visit

Sen. Bernie Moreno and Rep. Bob Latta joined U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy at the Ford Ohio Assembly Plant in Lorain County on Friday to tout Trump administration policies they say are making cars cheaper and the American auto industry stronger. During a news conference at the plant, which straddles Sheffield, Sheffield Lake and Avon Lake, Duffy said that President Donald Trump's reversal of Biden-era vehicle emissions targets the administration has called a "mandate" for automakers to produce more, or only electric vehicle, or EVs. In December, Trump rolled back Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards set by former Democratic President Joe Biden and set the fine for violation of CAFE standards to $0. In a video from the news conference at the Lorain County plant posted to the social media platform X, Duffy said that the move had already affected both car prices and the industry. "We have already seen car prices come down," Duffy said. "We've seen Ford has had its best year, I believe, in six years." According to the Ford Motor Company, the company made 2,204,124 sales in 2025, its best year since selling over 2.3 million vehicles in 2019 and a 6 percent increase from 2024. Ford sales have been on a steady climb since reaching an eight-year low in 2022. Speaking at the same news conference, Moreno, R-Upper Arlington, referred to Duffy and other Trump Cabinet members who were present, including EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Trade Rep. Jamieson Green, as "President Trump's automotive dream team." "A year ago, half the cars sold in America were made in America," Moreno said. "Thanks to the efforts of these guys, it's almost 60 percent … and we are not going to stop until it's 70 percent." Moreno also said that under previous administrations, auto manufacturing increasingly moved outside of America, but "that day is gone." "This is about restoring American workers' ability to have a good — one job. You can have one job, you don't need to have two or three jobs, you can have one job and own a home, own a car, support a family and retire with dignity," Moreno said. Duffy said that the emissions rollback would effectively save Americans an average of $1,000 on every new car purchase, and Latta, R-Bowling Green, echoed that sentiment in a news release following the visit. "For far too long, prices and the cost of living have risen as a result of the Biden administration's failed policies," Latta said in the release. "It's time to put America first and grow our economy. The vehicles Americans drive play a key role in a robust and secure future. I look forward to continuing to work with the administration to advance policies that will lower vehicle prices, unleash American auto manufacturing and expand consumer choice." Critics of Trump's deregulation efforts have argued that relaxing standards could end up hurting Americans at the gas pump and erasing any savings. "Drivers will be paying hundreds of dollars more at the pump every year if these rules are put in place," Kathy Harris, director for clean vehicles at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told The Detroit News. "That's only good news for Big Oil, which has been given handouts time and time again by this administration." After leaving Lorain County, the Trump administration's tour continued on to a Stellantis plant in Toledo and are expected to appear at the Detroit Auto Show this weekend, The Detroit News reported. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.