Trump announces Audi will build $4B factory in Georgia

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, that luxury German automaker Audi plans to build its first U.S. Manufacturing facility in central Georgia. The high-stakes announcement was delivered at a campaign rally in Perry, Georgia, situated near Macon, as the administration pushes to energize voters ahead of the upcoming Nov. 3, 2026, midterm elections. The sprawling facility aims to produce 200,000 premium SUVs annually, marking a major turning point for regional economic development and national manufacturing policy.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the project represents a capital commitment reaching up to $4.2 billion, while reporting from outlets such as KSL cites a $4 billion investment figure. The assembly plant will be situated approximately 5 miles west of Interstate 75 on the northern side of Georgia State Route 96, on the eastern outskirts of Fort Valley within Peach County. State officials refer to the location as the Middle Georgia Megasite.

Media additions

Audi CEO Gernot Doellner joined the president on stage during the rally.

"We are planning to bring our biggest and most premium SUVs, and produce them here in Macon, Georgia. This is a this is a long-term investment because we believe in the American market."

Gernot Doellner, CEO, via KSL

Additional reporting by Euronext Markets: Real-time Stock Market Data | live and government sources indicated that the site is expected to assemble the Audi Q7, Q8, and Q9 SUVs. Furthermore, a government official noted that Audi plans to produce 25,000 vehicles annually at a neighboring $2 billion plant belonging to Volkswagen's off-road brand, Scout Motors, currently under construction in Blythewood, South Carolina, near Columbia.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp celebrated the selection in an official press release, highlighting the local coordination involved. We are proud that Audi has selected Georgia as the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility, delivering truly historic investment and jobs to middle Georgia, Kemp stated, as reported by Yahoo Finance. State officials estimate the project will create at least 4,500 jobs.

Metric / Project Detail	Reported Figures	Key Context
Investment Value	$4 Billion to $4.2 Billion	Varies by reporting outlet (KSL vs. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Annual Production Capacity	200,000 SUVs	Focused on premium North American models (Q7, Q8, Q9)
Estimated Job Creation	4,500 jobs	Aimed at middle Georgia employment hubs
Timeline Start	Grading in 2027, Construction in 2028	Production projected for early 2030s

The macroeconomic backdrop involves intense pressure on foreign automakers. Last year, import levies imposed by the administration dealt Audi a significant financial blow, estimated at $1.4 billion (or €1.2 billion, according to the Idaho Statesman), because the brand previously imported all U.S.-bound vehicles from Europe or Mexico. Audi's global sales have faced headwinds, sliding 7% in the first half of 2026 amid fierce competition in China and U.S. Tariffs, while domestic U.S. Sales dropped 16% over the same timeframe. Meanwhile, European operations face structural adjustments, with Audi's Neckarsulm plant in southwest Germany listed among four Volkswagen facilities facing possible closure after 2030.

Political figures aligned with the administration lauded the policy outcome. U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, asserted late on Saturday that the Audi plant would never have happened without tariffs, without common sense regulations and without eliminating California's ability to regulate fuel economy standards, adding that Audi will eventually build all its SUVs exclusively in the United States, as noted by the Idaho Statesman.

Conversely, critics offer a starkly different perspective on the administration's broader trade and industrial strategy. Opponents argue that auto tariffs have driven up vehicle prices for consumers and that ongoing trade policy uncertainty has delayed broader investments across the sector. administration cutbacks to government incentives for electric vehicles have contributed to a measured reduction in domestic EV and battery production, with overall U.S. Vehicle and parts employment declining since the start of the presidential term.

Broader automotive manufacturing trends reflect similar shifts across the country. In July 2026, Japanese automaker Toyota announced a $3.6 billion expenditure to build a 2.5-million-square-foot truck assembly line in San Antonio, Texas, creating 2,000 jobs by 2030. At the same time, other international manufacturers are urging regulatory stability. Honda Motor warned it might hold off on building a new U.S. Assembly plant unless the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade pact is extended, echoing Hyundai's previous stance that trade certainty would unlock substantial multi-billion-dollar commitments.

As state and federal leaders look forward, construction on the Middle Georgia Megasite is scheduled to begin following grading phases, with full-scale production anticipated by the early 2030s. Observers tracking developments in the automotive sector will monitor upcoming milestones, including grading timetables in 2027, construction launches in 2028, and the ongoing political debates surrounding trade policy ahead of the Nov. 3, 2026, midterms.