Audi CEO Faces Backlash for Joining Trump at Campaign Rally Audi CEO Gernot Doellner has come under fire for appearing alongside President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Georgia, where the luxury carmaker announced plans to build a $4 billion plant in the United States. The move has been criticized by Germany's top union, IG Metall, which claims it violates Audi's company guidelines on political neutrality. The rally, held on October 24 in Perry, Georgia, was part of Trump's campaign blitz ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Doellner's appearance alongside Trump has sparked controversy, with some questioning the timing and appropriateness of the event. The Audi CEO was joined by Trump to announce plans to build a new plant that would produce 200,000 SUVs annually, a move that aims to escape import tariffs imposed by Trump that cost Audi around $1.34 billion last year. IG Metall head Christiane Benner has expressed her disapproval, stating that Doellner's actions are a "flagrant breach" of Audi's code of conduct, which prohibits public engagements with politicians in the run-up to elections. However, a source close to the matter claims that Audi's management board had cleared an exception to the company's code of conduct before Doellner's appearance. The move has also raised concerns about the optics of creating jobs in the US while reducing capacity globally. Audi's German production sites, including the Neckarsulm factory, are under pressure to reduce costs, with four plants threatened with closure from early next decade. Despite this, analysts argue that the decision to produce in the US is the right one.