by GM Highlights Its ‘Americanism’
On the eve of the major 250th anniversary of the US, General Motors is actively promoting its ‘Americanism,’ possibly taking a subtle dig at Ford. After all, none of the models produced locally are as ‘native’ as they might seem.
Claims About Jobs and Economic Contribution
In a recent post on the GM news site, Mike Trevorrow, Senior Vice President of Global Manufacturing, placed the company ahead of all competitors, including Ford, in the number of Americans hired.
“GM hires the most people of any automaker in the US. One in ten American auto workers is a GM employee,” the statement reads.
Trevorrow doesn’t stop at jobs. He claims GM contributed nearly $50 billion to the country’s GDP in 2025 and has already invested $9 billion in local production and facilities this year. In its home state of Michigan, according to GM’s estimates, every $10 of GDP it generates translates into approximately $17 of total economic activity.
Ford Produces More Cars in the US
That GM is promoting its ‘Americanism’ in this way is no big surprise. Their competitor Ford has used the same tactic in recent months, rightly noting that it produces more cars in the US than any other automaker. About 83 percent of new Fords assembled in the US are also sold here.
As Detroit Free Press notes, GM also stated it is less affected by tariffs than Ford because it uses fewer foreign suppliers for its parts. Recent documents showed that GM expects to receive $500 million in tariff compensation after the Supreme Court ruled President Trump’s tariffs illegal earlier this year. In comparison, Ford expects to receive $1.3 billion in compensation, indicating a greater dependence on foreign imports.
Which Cars Are the Most ‘American’?
However, a recent Cars.com study tells a less flattering story, as neither GM nor Ford rank particularly high among the most ‘American’ cars on sale. Among all passenger vehicles weighing less than 8,500 lbs (3,856 kg), the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y lead, followed by the Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Cherokee L, and the Honda Ridgeline.
GM doesn’t even make the top twenty. Its most ‘American’ model ranks 25th, behind the Lexus TX, Honda Accord, Acura MDX, Toyota Camry, Acura RDX, Kia EV9, and Toyota Tundra — each a foreign brand building cars on American soil, while GM makes the most patriotic noise.
For comparison, Ford’s most ‘American’ car ranks 11th — the Navigator. Out of the 86 most ‘American’ cars, only 13 are produced by GM and 9 by Ford.
Thus, while GM tries to position itself as the most ‘American’ manufacturer in terms of job numbers and GDP contribution, the reality turns out to be more complex. The competition with Ford in this area looks like a tug-of-war, where each side presents its arguments. However, the Cars.com study shows that true leadership in product ‘Americanism’ belongs to Tesla and other brands that actively use local production. This suggests that patriotic slogans do not always match the real state of affairs, and consumers can make their own conclusions based on more objective data.
