Trump orders GM to make ventilators for the government crosspost Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum to require General Motors Co. to make ventilators for the federal government. Trump directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to use any and all authority available under the Defense Production Act to require General Motors to accept, perform and prioritize federal contracts for ventilators,"  "Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent . GM was wasting time. Today’s action will help ensure the quick production ....." The memorandum came after Trump took to Twitter earlier in the day to slam GM and CEO Mary Barra over reneging on plans to build the ventilators. "As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump wrote.  "They said they were going to give  us 40k Ventilators, 'very quickly.' Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B." In the press conference Trump referred to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as "the woman in Michigan," Trump also criticized  GM for opening plants outside of the United States, abandoning its former Lordstown Assembly Plant in northeast Ohio  and backtracking on its commitment to produce ventilators. “We don’t want to get in a big deal on price," Trump said. "We are not looking to be ripped off on price. ... So, General Motors, we will see what happens, but now they are talking, but they weren’t talking at the right way in the beginning and that was not right to the country." , U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, said he has called on the president to use the Defense Product Act to address the pandemic: “However, the Defense Production Act must be used as a tool to work with the private sector — not as a cudgel against individual companies. "President Trump must use the Act to coordinate a holistic response to the epidemic and active the full potential of  American businesses to resolve the shortages that hamper our health systems’ response to COVID-19," Levin continued. "Selective use of the Act is still progress, but it matters little unless the President can use it to build unity and solve problems.  GM is not seeking any money from the government.  The automaker is working as a contract manufacturer for Ventec,  which needs money to pay its suppliers to boost production. Ventec is looking for several hundred million dollars,  according to the people. The companies earlier this week were preparing to announce a deal with the federal government,  , but the Trump administration's Federal Emergency Management Agency is evaluating the number of ventilators it wants to order. “We are proud to stand with other American companies and our skilled employees to meet the needs of this global pandemic,” Barra said in a statement earlier Friday. “This partnership has rallied the GM enterprise and our global supply base to support Ventec, and the teams are working together with incredible passion and commitment." The companies have secured suppliers for the more than 700 parts needed. They intend to build up to 200,000 of Ventec's  portable VOCSN ventilators with Kokomo producing 10,000 per month and possibly more. “This unique partnership combines Ventec’s respiratory care expertise with GM’s manufacturing might to produce sophisticated  and high-quality critical care ventilators,” Ventec CEO Chris Kiple said in a statement. “This pandemic is unprecedented and so is the response.  GM plans to assemble the ventilators with 1,000 employees who would be paid. With support from the United Auto Workers, it's drawing its volunteer workforce from its 392 employees in Kokomo and 891 employees at Marion Metal Center almost 30 miles away. "The UAW has a proud history of stepping up in times of national emergency. General Motors should be commended for  stepping up at a crucial moment in our history." . "If GM is to be believed, they have used their global procurement prowess to scout up the parts from around the world  — that is a surprising amount of progress. I'm not sure what led to the president's reaction as opposed to congratulating GM and encouraging them to continue as fast as possible .........." GM also said it will make surgical masks by temporarily converting its closed Warren Transmission Plant. Production will begin Monday and ramp up to make 50,000 masks per day within two weeks. It hopes eventually to make 100,000 masks per day based on material availability. GM will work with governments and local suppliers to distribute them. Trump also called for GM to make the medical devices at its Lordstown plant. Electric-vehicle start-up Lordstown Motors Corp. purchased the building for $20 million in November — a deal that Trump himself pre-emptively lauded in May on Twitter. "General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and  START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!!" Trump tweeted Friday. "FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!" Ford Motor Co. this week said it was partnering with the 3M Co. and GE Healthcare to boost production of powered air-purifying respirators and ventilators, respectively. We, the people own GM. They ran a fake bankruptcy to hustle TARP where Oleg the Ass ownd majority interests...but I think we are at the threshhold of asset forfeiture.  https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/general-motors/2020/03/27/trump-slams-gm-over-ventilators-gm-says-moving-forward-anyway/2925460001/?fbclid=IwAR3ZJ2zxSiFD5KytnBSJrY4XDOqhZ-NW10DdlWTVnoNvTsG7j4IZ7o8iZl8