Sen. Sherrod Brown Andrew Harrer | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The factories, most of which build vehicle models that will not be sold in the U.S. after next year, may not close entirely, depending on United Auto Workers union negotiations. They could end up with different models to build. Still, the move is a gut punch to one area in Ohio that Trump pledged to boost last year. GM plans to cut as many as 1,600 factory jobs at a Lordstown, Ohio, plant when it winds down production there in March. Last year, Trump — speaking about 20 miles away in Youngstown — said he saw too many empty factories in the area and promised to revive manufacturing there. "I said, those jobs have left Ohio. They're all coming back. They're all coming back. Don't move, don't sell your house," he said at a rally in July 2017, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

Democratic officials in the state saw a betrayal Monday from both GM and the president, who won Ohio in part on his pledges to renegotiate trade deals and push American companies to make products domestically. The president's opponents will likely seize on the job losses ahead of a pivotal 2020 election, when Trump may need Ohio's 18 electoral votes to win re-election. Trump told reporters Monday that he spoke to GM CEO Mary Barra and told her he was "not happy about it." The president added that he was "very tough" and noted that members of Congress have put "a lot of pressure" on GM. He urged the company to produce another vehicle in the Ohio facility other than the Chevrolet Cruze model it currently makes there. "I think you're going to see something else happen there. ... They better put something else in," Trump said, contending that the layoffs have nothing to do with the tariffs he imposed on steel and aluminum imports. In a sign of the White House's unease with the move, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow will meet with Barra on Monday, CNBC confirmed. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, an Ohio Democrat whose district includes Lordstown, excoriated GM and Trump on Monday. In a statement, he called the move a "bad combination of greedy corporations and policy makers with no understanding of economic development." He asked Trump to "keep his word" from when he came to Ohio's Mahoning Valley last year promising jobs would return. "He promised us that his massive corporate tax cut would lead to dramatic reinvestments in our communities. That clearly is not happening," Ryan added. "The Valley has been yearning for the Trump Administration to come here, roll up their sleeves and help us fight for this recovery. What we've gotten instead are broken promises and petty tweets."

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, called the decision "corporate greed at its worst." He called it "clear" that GM "doesn't respect" the Lordstown workers, and hit the company for not doing enough to reinvest the savings from its tax cuts. Republicans took issue with the move, as well. Ohio Gov. John Kasich — another possible Trump challenger — called the move "painful" and said he would work with GM on possible ways to save the plant. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also said he was "deeply frustrated" with the decision, adding that he has worked and will continue to work with GM to find a way to keep the factory workers employed. The White House and GM did not immediately respond to requests to comment on the criticism from lawmakers. The Trump administration has repeatedly pointed to strong job creation and gross domestic product growth as evidence of the president's success.