# Audi CEO faces backlash for Trump rally appearance

> Gernot Döllner announced a four billion dollar US investment at a Trump rally days before midterm elections, drawing fierce criticism in Germany.
- Title: Audi CEO faces backlash for Trump rally appearance | Shortify
- Summary: Gernot Döllner announced a four billion dollar US investment at a Trump rally days before midterm elections, drawing fierce criticism in Germany. Audi's CEO…
- Keywords: audi, gernot döllner, volkswagen, donald trump, georgia, us midterm elections 2026, germany, automotive industry, tariffs, news, world, CEO
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/audi-boss-under-fire-in-germany-for-trump-rally-appearance
- Published: 2026-10-26T14:42:27+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: audi, gernot döllner, volkswagen, donald trump, georgia, us midterm elections 2026, germany, automotive industry, tariffs, news, world
## Audi CEO joins Trump on stage
Gernot Döllner, head of luxury carmaker Audi, appeared at a Trump rally in Perry, Georgia, just days before US midterm elections to announce a major investment.
## Four billion dollar Georgia factory plan
Döllner announced Audi would spend four billion dollars to build its first US factory in Macon, Georgia, creating four thousand five hundred jobs and producing two hundred thousand SUVs annually.

> We are planning to bring our biggest and most premium SUVs, and produce them here in Macon, Georgia.
## German labour leaders condemn appearance
Daniela Cavallo, head of Volkswagen's works council, said Döllner's participation showed management had been turned into a puppet in Trump's propaganda show and breached political neutrality rules.

> turned into a puppet in the propaganda show of a highly dubious political figure
## German politicians call it a disgrace
Isabel Cademartori, transport spokesperson for Germany's Social Democrats, called Döllner's actions a disgrace, particularly given Volkswagen Group's history as a Nazi showcase company.
## Union chief warns of code breach
Christiane Benner, head of German trade union IG Metall and deputy chair of VW's supervisory board, accused Döllner of flagrant breach of company code requiring political neutrality before elections.

> extremely embarrassing, politically unacceptable and unworthy of the company, but above all of Audi's employees
## Tariffs drove the investment decision
Audi is the only premium carmaker without a US factory, making it vulnerable to Trump's fifteen percent import tariffs, which cost the company an estimated one point two billion euros last year.
## VW faces broader labour crisis
Volkswagen is locked in battle with labour over plans to cut as many as one hundred thousand jobs and close factories, with Audi's Neckarsulm plant employing fifteen thousand people among four VW sites threatened with…
## Key takeaway

Audi's CEO announced a four billion dollar Georgia factory investment at a Trump rally before US midterms, triggering accusations of political bias and breaching company neutrality rules.