President Donald Trump used a visit to Peterbilt Motors’ truck plant in Denton, Texas, on Thursday to tout tariffs on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Trump said his trade policies are helping bring commercial vehicle manufacturing and jobs back to the U.S.
“They asked me to come because you’re doing massive expansions. I said, ‘How many trucks out of this plant? How many trucks do you do?’ I figured they’d say 200 a year; he said, ‘No… 200 a day,’” Trump said according to a transcript of his speech provided by Roll Call.
Speaking to Peterbilt workers after touring the facility, Trump highlighted the 25% tariff his administration imposed Nov. 1, 2025, on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks, along with tariffs on truck parts that do not comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Trump pointed to Peterbilt parent PACCAR’s (Nasdaq: PCAR) expansion in Denton as evidence that the policy is working.
The Denton factory is a significant piece of PACCAR’s North American manufacturing network. Peterbilt produces medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks, including Class 8 models, at the North Texas operation.
Peterbilt said it has added more than 1,000 jobs at the Denton facility, while the Trump administration has said PACCAR has added more than 2,000 jobs nationwide since the truck tariffs took effect. Reuters also reported the administration’s figures Thursday.
“Workers like you and companies like this have always been loyal to our country,” Trump said.
Trump imposed the 25% tariff last year under his America First trade policy. The tariff applies to imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks and certain non-USMCA-compliant parts. During Thursday’s appearance, Trump defended tariffs as an economic tool, at one point calling “tariff” his “fifth favorite word.”
The president also said that his administration’s policies are boosting heavy-truck production.
“American trucking is back,” Trump said, while claiming heavy-truck manufacturing has increased about 31% and truck shipments have reached an all-time high.
Trump also cited broader manufacturing employment and wage gains, saying the U.S. has added 60,000 manufacturing jobs this year and that manufacturing workers’ wages have risen by nearly $4,000 since he took office.
The administration’s broader manufacturing record has been more mixed. FreightWaves reported ahead of Trump’s visit that Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited by Fox Business showed manufacturing employment had declined by 35,000 jobs from Trump’s return to office in January 2025 through the period covered by that report.
Why it matters: The Trump administration said its tariffs on imports of heavy duty trucks are changing the economics of where commercial vehicles and components are produced.
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