Reports: Trump to Announce Audi Factory Plan in Georgia

Reuters and Bloomberg report that Trump plans to announce a new Audi factory in Macon, Georgia, with capacity for 200,000 vehicles a year, while tariff terms remain under discussion.

President Donald Trump is expected to announce a plan for Volkswagen to build Audi’s first U.S. assembly factory in Macon, Georgia, according to reports published Saturday, October 24, 2026, by Reuters and Bloomberg. Bloomberg reported that the proposed plant would be able to produce 200,000 vehicles a year, making the plan a potentially significant expansion of the German automaker’s U.S. footprint.

The reports arrived shortly before a Trump campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, about 30 miles south of Macon. At the time of publication, Trump had not yet made the expected announcement, the White House had not released a formal project statement, and Audi had not publicly confirmed the plan. Bloomberg said an Audi spokeswoman declined to comment. The factory details should therefore be treated as reported plans pending the company’s and administration’s formal disclosures.

What the reported plan includes

Bloomberg, citing a U.S. official involved in the discussions, said the Macon factory would assemble the Audi Q7, Q8 and Q9 sport utility vehicles. Construction was expected to begin soon, but a new auto plant generally takes years to complete, placing the start of production later in the decade rather than immediately. Reuters separately reported that Trump was set to announce an Audi factory plan in Georgia.

The package also includes a reported expansion of Volkswagen’s Scout Motors facility under construction in Blythewood, South Carolina. Bloomberg said the company would add capacity for another 25,000 vehicles a year there, although the model to be produced had not been selected publicly. Volkswagen already operates a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Audi, unlike several German rivals, currently depends on imported vehicles for the U.S. market.

Tariff relief remains unresolved

The factory plan does not amount to a completed tariff agreement. Bloomberg reported that Volkswagen and the administration would continue discussing relief tied to new U.S. production commitments. Any resulting credit would be structured for manufacturers that expand American production rather than as an Audi-only exemption, according to the report. No rate, formula, effective date or final agreement was announced.

That distinction matters because tariffs have increased pressure on Audi’s import-based U.S. business. The company brings vehicles from Europe and Mexico, while rivals including BMW and Mercedes-Benz already operate large American assembly plants. A Macon facility would reduce Audi’s dependence on imports once production begins, but it would not eliminate near-term tariff exposure while the factory is being built.

Economic announcement in an election battleground

Trump was expected to present the investment during the Perry rally as he campaigns for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Georgia is hosting competitive statewide races, giving the proposed Macon project both economic and political significance. The location would place a major manufacturing commitment in a state that has shifted between the parties in recent presidential elections.

Several important facts remain outstanding: the investment total, expected employment, state or local incentives, construction schedule and final tariff treatment. The reported annual capacity describes what the plant could produce after completion, not immediate output or guaranteed sales. Trump’s announcement and subsequent corporate or government filings will determine whether those terms change and when the project becomes binding.

Sources and image credit

What the reported plan includes

Tariff relief remains unresolved

Economic announcement in an election battleground