President Trump calls out GM, mentions opening 'stupidly abandoned' Lordstown plant

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

President Donald Trump once again uses his Twitter account to mention Lordstown.

This time he wonders why General Motors can't open up their old assembly plant in Lordstown to make ventilators.

"General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!!  FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!  @GeneralMotors @Ford," Tweeted Trump Friday morning.

Of course, Lordstown Motors owns the plant now, and they are continuing their plans to build an electric pick up truck there.  21 News called CEO Steve Burns about any possibility that they would make ventilators there, but so far, he has not returned our call for comment.

President Trump issued an order Friday that the government can use to require General Motors to produce ventilators under Defense Production Act as health professionals around the country lamented shortages of the machines that help patients with the coronavirus breathe.

In a joint statement, GM and Ventec Life Systems said they would build critical care ventilators at GM's manufacturing plant in Kokomo, Indiana, and start shipping them as soon as next month.

GM also is to produce surgical masks at its plant in Warren, Michigan, that can be used by health care workers.

In a statement, the White House accused GM of wasting time in the contracting process. "Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," the statement said.

Congressman Tim Ryan responded to President Trump's Lordstown tweet about General Motors.

"It seems the President has forgotten that GM no longer owns the plant in Lordstown. This is a time for leaders to lead. Instead of tweeting, President Trump should activate the Defense Production Act today and put the full force of American manufacturing to end our equipment shortage. Coronavirus is already taking a toll on our healthcare system. If we don't take bold steps to fix that now, many more Americans will sadly pass away because we couldn't supply our hospitals with the equipment they so desperately need. The President should stop stalling and fully implement the Defense Production Act to ensure our healthcare workers have the supplies they need to save American lives. The only thing standing in President Trump's way is himself," said Ryan.

(The Associated Press contributed to this article.)