Trump Touts Truck Tariffs at Peterbilt Texas Plant

President Donald Trump gave a roughly hour-long campaign-style speech on Thursday inside the Peterbilt Motors truck plant in Denton, Texas. He promoted his 25% tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks as the key force behind manufacturing job growth and wage increases, taking credit for a major expansion at the facility.

Trump delivered the speech inside a cavernous plant building, flanked by two shiny blue trucks and a large banner reading 'American Jobs'. He called 'tariff' his fifth favorite word and framed the truck tax as an effort to protect U.S. manufacturers like Peterbilt and its parent company, PACCAR Inc., from unfair outside competition. Trump stated he had heard the plant makes 200 trucks a day and praised his administration's rollback of fuel economy standards, which he said was done for the trucking industry.

The visit was Trump's second to North Texas in less than a month, following the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. He was joined by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton, whom Trump publicly praised. Peterbilt Motors Co., founded in 1939, is the county’s largest manufacturer and among its largest employers, with a current headcount of around 1,800 employees. The White House said PACCAR has added more than 2,000 jobs nationwide since the truck tariffs took effect, while Peterbilt said it has added more than 1,000 jobs at the Denton facility specifically.

Tariff Context and Industry Opposition

Trump imposed a new 25% import tax on all medium- and heavy-duty trucks coming into the U.S. last November as part of a broader tariff strategy. The White House directly linked this policy to job creation at Peterbilt's parent company. However, the tariffs were imposed despite opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber noted that the top five truck-exporting countries to the U.S. are American allies and do not pose national security risks.

Job Creation Claims and Verification

Job growth claims presented at the event are supported by White House and company statements but contradicted by broader independent data. While the White House cited PACCAR adding 2,000 U.S. jobs and Peterbilt adding over 1,000 in Denton, independent reports show a different national trend. FreightWaves reported that Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed manufacturing employment declined by 35,000 jobs from January 2025 through the period covered by that report.

During the event, company representatives praised Trump’s tariff policies for the expansion. Preston Freight, the CEO of Paccar, said the tariffs are good for customers, good for strengthening American manufacturing, and good for Peterbilt. Trump also highlighted his no tax on overtime policy, which took effect last year, and claimed more people are working in the U.S. than at any time in history.

The article closes on Trump's statement that manufacturing is coming back as he stands beside trucks at the Denton plant.