President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Peterbilt Motors’ manufacturing plant in Denton, Texas, on Thursday as the White House highlights its trade and manufacturing policies. During the visit, Trump is expected to tour the heavy-duty truck facility and speak with workers about domestic manufacturing, employment, tariffs, and investment.
The administration plans to use the event to promote its view that tariffs, tax policies, and deregulation are encouraging companies to increase production in the United States. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said administration policies have contributed to more than 1 million private-sector jobs and trillions of dollars in announced investments. Those figures represent the administration’s assessment of its economic policies.
A central topic is expected to be the 25% tariff on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which took effect November 1, 2025. The administration also imposed tariffs on certain truck parts that do not comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. These policies were introduced with the stated goal of encouraging more vehicle and component manufacturing within the United States.
A White House official told Fox Business that Peterbilt parent company PACCAR has expanded U.S. production and employment since the truck tariffs took effect. According to figures supplied by the White House, the Denton operation added more than 1,000 jobs, while PACCAR added more than 2,000 jobs across its U.S. operations. FreightWaves noted that those employment figures were not independently confirmed in the materials it reviewed.
Broader manufacturing data presents a more mixed picture. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures cited in the report show that the U.S. economy added approximately 807,000 jobs after Trump returned to office in January 2025, while manufacturing employment declined by about 35,000 jobs during the same period. The administration has said investments in new factories and domestic projects may not yet be fully reflected in employment statistics.
Peterbilt’s Denton facility has grown substantially since operations began. The plant originally employed 81 workers and produced roughly 2.5 trucks per week. By 2016, employment had reached approximately 2,000, while production capacity had expanded significantly.
PACCAR has continued investing in the facility. According to its 2025 annual report, Peterbilt held a 14.8% share of the U.S. and Canadian Class 8 truck market, and the Denton factory recently produced its 10,000th Model 589.
The visit comes as truck manufacturers navigate tariffs, evolving emissions regulations, and a freight market that has limited demand for new equipment. For fleets and manufacturers, trade policies affecting imported trucks and components can influence vehicle pricing, sourcing decisions, production locations, and equipment availability.
Trump’s Texas appearance also comes several weeks before the November 2026 midterm elections, with the White House planning additional domestic travel focused on promoting its economic record.
Source: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/trump-to-visit-texas-plant-to-tout-manufacturing-agenda
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