Business · Companies · 27 mins ago
VW works council chief condemns Audi CEO's appearance at Trump event
VW works council chief Daniela Cavallo criticized Audi CEO Gernot Döllner for appearing at a campaign event for US President Donald Trump.
Cavallo said the appearance conflicted with company values and Audi guidelines that restrict public events with election candidates in the three months before a vote.
Trump announced plans for an Audi factory in Georgia, where the company says it hopes to build SUVs.
Audi plans to invest $4 billion, create 4,500 jobs and begin construction in 2027, with production expected in the early 2030s.
Cavallo said expanding US production could make business sense, but questions remain about tariffs and any promised relief.
Worker representatives want clarity on effects for other VW plants, especially those in Germany, before they approve a new factory.
A decision on the project is still pending.
VW works council chief Daniela Cavallo condemned Audi CEO Gernot Döllner’s appearance at a campaign event for US President Donald Trump.
Cavallo said Döllner’s participation amounted to active election campaigning and violated Audi’s internal guidelines.
Trump had announced plans for an Audi factory in Perry, Georgia, and Döllner appeared on stage afterward to thank him.
The planned factory is expected to produce 200,000 SUVs a year, with a four-billion-dollar investment and about 4,500 jobs.
Cavallo said worker representatives would not approve the project without a clear assessment of its effects on other sites, especially in Germany.
- Who
- VW works council chief Daniela Cavallo criticized Audi CEO Gernot Döllner.
- What
- Cavallo condemned Döllner’s appearance at a Trump campaign event and said it violated Audi guidelines.
- When
- The criticism was reported on October 26, 2026. The US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3.
- Where
- The event was in Perry, Georgia, in the United States.
- Why
- Döllner appeared on stage after Trump announced plans for an Audi factory and thanked the president for his support. Cavallo said the appearance constituted active campaigning and breached internal guidelines.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Trump announced plans for an Audi factory in Perry, Georgia.
Döllner appeared on stage and thanked Trump for his support.
Reports quoted Cavallo condemning Döllner’s appearance and saying it violated Audi guidelines.
- Factory location
- Perry, Georgia
- Planned annual production
- 200,000 SUVs
- Planned investment
- Four billion dollars
- Expected jobs
- About 4,500
- Planned construction start
- 2027
- US midterm elections
- November 3, 2026
6 sources
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What people are saying
Etliche Minuten voller Rassismus, Sexismus, Diffamierungen von Ausländern, Transphobie, Verächtlichmachung der Demokratie – und dann tritt einer unserer obersten Konzern-Repräsentanten auf die Bühne und betreibt aktive Wahlkampfhilfe
Scham im Boden versinken
sicherlich ein klarer Verstoß
Ohne ein Gesamtbild zur Planungsrunde mit dem Gesamtblick auf alle Standorte geben wir kein grünes Licht. Das heißt im Umkehrschluss, dass eine Entscheidung erst noch aussteht