DETROIT (WWJ) -- President Donald Trump is scheduled to make a stop in Michigan on Tuesday, paying a visit to both the Detroit Economic Club (DEC) and a Ford truck plant in Dearborn.
According to a spokesperson for the DEC, Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech before club members at 2 p.m. on Jan. 13, at MotorCity Casino Sound Board in Detroit.
The speech is not open to the general public. Event tickets are only available to DEC members and their guests.
The speech will take place following the DEC's previously scheduled Michigan Economic Outlook meeting program.
The president’s visit coincides with the 2026 Detroit Auto Show, amid concerns about Trump's tariffs and their anticipated impact on the U.S. auto industry.
While it was not stated in detail what the president will talk about, WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff said the U.S. automotive industry is expected to be a focus.
Along with the DEC stop, Trump is scheduled to visit the Ford Rouge factory in Dearborn, which makes F-150 pickups, the bestselling domestic vehicle in the U.S. Bill Ford, Jim Farley, and Plant Manager Corey Williams will guide the president through a tour of the assembly operations at the plant.
Ford says it has hosted every U.S. president over the last 50 years, and works with every administration regardless of party.
And while General Motors CEO Mary Barra said she won't be seeing Trump during this particular Detroit visit, GM has been in contact with the Trump Administration.
"We're providing input on what we need to have a strong U.S. automobile business, and leadership in this country that allows us to have leadership in other countries."
The nonpartisan Detroit Economic Club has hosted senior government officials and political leaders since 1934, including sitting Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush.
This will be President Trump's third appearance at the DEC, following campaign addresses in August 2016 and October 2024. In both of those election years, the DEC invited both major party Presidential candidates to speak.
This will be Trump's first stop in the City of Detroit and his second to Michigan during his current term.
Trump last visited the Metro Detroit region in April of last year, while celebrating his first 100 days in office. That time he made a stop at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, speaking alongside Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, before a rally at Macomb Community College in Warren,
Trump's 2024 before the DEC made headlines when he insulted the city, saying the U.S. “will be like Detroit” if his opponent, Kamala Harris, were to be elected president.
Among those quick to respond to Trump's comments at the time was then-Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan who posted on X: "Detroit just hosted the largest NFL Draft in history, the Tigers are back in the playoffs, the Lions are headed to the Super Bowl, crime is down and our population is growing. Lots of cities should be like Detroit. And we did it all without Trump’s help."
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