Top Mississippi Republicans support new EV battery plant despite Trump’s criticism
Mississippi’s leading Republicans celebrated the groundbreaking of a $1.9 billion electric vehicle battery plant, creating 2,000 high-paying jobs, while former President Trump criticized such green jobs as benefiting China.
Bobby Harrison reports for Mississippi Today.
In short:
- Gov. Tate Reeves and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith celebrated the new electric vehicle battery plant in Marshall County.
- The plant, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, contradicts Trump's stance against green jobs.
- Hyde-Smith opposed the Act but supports the plant, which receives $350 million in state incentives.
Key quote:
"Today we broke ground on a project of record proportions — the single largest payroll commitment in Mississippi’s entire history, and the third largest economic development project in Mississippi’s entire history."
— Tate Reeves, Governor of Mississippi
Why this matters:
This plant represents a significant economic boost for Mississippi, highlighting the complex political landscape where local benefits clash with national partisan positions. Former President Donald Trump criticized the move, arguing that such green jobs ultimately benefit China, given the global supply chain for key materials.
