General Motors will not be treated well following its decision to slash 15 percent of its North American workforce, President Donald Trump said Thursday during an appearance on Fox News.
"To tell me a couple weeks before Christmas that she's going to close in Ohio and Michigan – not acceptable to me," Trump said, referring to GM CEO Mary Barra. "She's either going to open fast, or somebody else is going to go in. But General Motors will not be treated well."
GM in November said it would close five facilities in Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, and Ontario as the largest American auto manufacturer seeks to slash costs amid restructuring.
GM also said it would stop producing several car models, including Buick LaCrosse and Chevrolet Cruze.
Barra said GM is looking to "get in front of it while the company is strong and while the economy is strong," but also suggested tariffs imposed on imported aluminum and steel have hurt the company.
Trump on Thursday called the move "nasty."
"I spoke to her," he said. "I don't like what she did. It's nasty. It doesn't really matter because Ohio is under my leadership from a national standpoint. Ohio is going to replace those jobs in like two minutes."