DENTON, TEXAS — President Donald Trump visited the Peterbilt Motors facility in Denton on Thursday, October 1, using the plant’s recent expansion as a showcase for his administration’s manufacturing and tariff policies and declaring that American trucking has turned a corner.
Peterbilt said the Denton facility has added more than 1,000 jobs, which the company attributed in part to tariffs put in place last November. Peterbilt events manager Sarah Renshaw, whose parents both worked for the company, said the growth had allowed the company to hire her son as well.
Trump addressed workers on the floor, crediting tariffs, deregulation, and the rollback of Biden-era emission standards for growth in the industry.
“Workers like you and companies like this have always been loyal to our country,” Trump said. “But for decades, you were heartlessly betrayed by politicians, lousy politicians who let foreign trade cheaters plunder your wages, loot your factories, close up your jobs, and they robbed our country blind.”
On the numbers, Trump said wages for manufacturing workers are up nearly $4,000 since he took office, the country has added 60,000 new manufacturing jobs, heavy truck manufacturing is up approximately 31%, and heavy truck shipments have hit an all-time high. “So American trucking is back,” he said.
Trump also joked about the trucks themselves. “They’re beautiful. I don’t know if I’m allowed to drive them. Secret Service has a little problem with that. But if I can get approval, I’ll buy one myself and drive it.”
The visit also included a campaign rally component for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Interviews courtesy of local media.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
