Ford seeks Trump aluminum tariff relief after fires at major US factory, report says

Ford Motor and other U.S. automakers have asked for relief from aluminum tariffs after fires at a major American factory created supply bottlenecks for vehicles, though the Trump administration so far has rejected the requests, according to a report.

The Wall Street Journal first reported that Ford petitioned the Trump administration for assistance, citing people with knowledge of the conversations.

The requests have come in recent weeks, according to the report, with the carmaker asking the government for relief from duties at least until Novelis’ aluminum rolling plant in Oswego, New York, returns to full service following two fires last year.

The Oswego facility, which is the largest domestic supplier of aluminum sheets for the U.S. automotive industry, is likely to remain offline until this June.

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The government has so far not budged, the report said, adding that the discussions are part of ongoing talks about the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

Trump officials told the companies they had already received some relief from national security tariffs last year, when major automakers were allowed to recoup part of the 25% duties on auto parts, the report said.

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A White House official told FOX Business via email that “the Administration is committed to a nimble and nuanced approach to reshoring manufacturing that’s critical to our national and economic security. While Ford and other automakers have raised supply concerns in light of the Novelis incident, they have not requested tariff relief on this matter in a particularly pronounced way.”

FOX Business has also reached out to Ford Motor.

Novelis has offset lost production by sourcing aluminum from its plants in South Korea and Europe, though those imports now face a 50% tariff under the Trump administration.

The plant also supplies Stellantis and General Motors, but Ford is its largest customer, as its trucks, such as the F-150, rely heavily on aluminum bodies.

Reuters contributed to this report.