President Trump threatened another major American corporation on Tuesday. He said Harley-Davidson will be “taxed like never before” if the motorcycle maker moves production overseas.
Like most things Trump it’s an idle, annoying and distracting threat. Harley-Davidson will be here when Trump is gone. The question is how big of a political loser do you need to be to lose the biker vote?
Harley riders are as Red, White and Blue as any brand-based tribe in the U.S. Only a fool would dare to alienate Harley riders. Why not also attack Budweiser, Major League Baseball and anyone who makes apple pie?
The company will continue to manufacture the majority of its bikes in America, but Harley-Davidson said in January it plans to grow its international business to fifty percent of annual volume by 2027.
American firms with customers in foreign markets are also international firms and they must be able to compete on the global stage.
Trump’s nationalist obsessions don’t translate well from social engineering to commerce. It leaves one to wonder just how long the captains of American industry are willing to get played like this.
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