Audi’s planned U.S. expansion has become a labor and corporate-governance issue after IG Metall’s president said Audi CEO Gernot Döllner’s appearance at a Georgia rally violated company rules.
Reuters reported that Döllner appeared with President Donald Trump at an Oct. 24 rally in Perry, Georgia, where Audi announced its factory proposal. Christiane Benner, president of IG Metall and deputy chair of Volkswagen’s supervisory board, said the appearance breached Audi’s rules for political events. Her criticism brings a worker representative on Volkswagen’s board into conflict with the company’s chief over how the investment was presented.
Audi’s code restricts public participation in events involving political parties or candidates for office, and sponsorship of those events, during the three months before an election. The rally took place ahead of Georgia’s Nov. 3 election. Benner’s view that Döllner violated the policy is her allegation.
Audi says it plans to spend around $4 billion on the Georgia plant, which would make premium SUVs and have capacity for up to 200,000 vehicles a year. The company says construction is scheduled to begin in 2027. EconoTimes previously covered the proposal in its earlier coverage.
Reuters reported that U.S. tariffs cost Audi €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) in 2025. Reuters reported that every Audi sold in the United States is shipped from Europe or Mexico, leaving the company exposed to import tariffs.
Volkswagen is also restructuring its German operations. Reuters has reported that the process includes job losses and possible factory shutdowns. Lower Saxony Premier Olaf Lies, whose state is Volkswagen’s second-largest shareholder, said U.S. expansion should support jobs and value creation in Germany as well.
Döllner defended the investment, saying it followed months of planning and negotiations. He argued that strengthening Audi’s global business could help protect jobs in Germany, Reuters reported. Volkswagen’s supervisory board still needs to approve the project; Audi has scheduled construction to start in 2027.
