After GM announced it would close assembly and propulsion plants in Michigan, Ohio, Maryland and Ontario by the end of 2019, President Donald Trump said he warned the Detroit-based automaker they were "playing around with the wrong person.

Trump, who was warned by the automaker months ago that his import tariffs would lead to "a smaller GM," spoke with the Wall Street Journal on Monday, Nov. 26. He said he spoke with GM CEO Mary Barra the night before the cuts were announced, and claims to have suggested the automaker cease production in China and replace it with a new plant in Ohio.

Despite closing an assembly and propulsion plant in Michigan, the president focused on the loss of the Ohio plant going as far as saying "they better damn well open a new plant there very quickly."

"I love Ohio," he told WSJ in the interview. "I said, 'I heard you're closing your plant. It's not going to be closed for long, I hope, Mary, because if it is you have a problem."

CNN reports Trump said he "was very tough" with Barra, and that he reminded the automaker's CEO that "you know, this country has done a lot for General Motors. You know, the United States saved General Motors, and for her to take that company out of Ohio is not good."

General Motors just announced plans to lay off nearly 15,000 workers and shut down plants across the US. This is the same @GM that got a huge tax break from the #GOPTaxScam and spent $4.5 billion on stock buybacks last year. It’s shameful. https://t.co/7C7W77PouW — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) November 26, 2018

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Specifically, GM announced plans to close the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant, Lordstown Assembly Plant in Warren, Ohio and Oshawa Assembly plant in Ontario by the end of 2019. It will also close propulsion plants in Warren, Michigan and White Marsh, Maryland in the same timeframe.

This will result in the loss of nearly 15,000 jobs and a 15 percent cut to its salaried workforce. About 8,100 of the 14,700 jobs cut were white-collar, salaried employees.

North America isn't the only area feeling cuts, as GM also says it will close the assembly plant in Gunsan, Korea in addition to two other non-North American plants by the end of next year.

Mary Barra, the automaker's CEO and chairman, said that these measures will continue GM's transformation into a "highly agile, resilient and profitable" company with some needed investment flexibility. The cuts is expected to result in an increase in the automaker's cash flow by $6 billion by the end of 2020.

"This morning (Monday), I spoke to Mary Barra and she advised me for the first time of the situation at the Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said. "The news is troubling.

"We all know there is strong demand for manufacturing space in Detroit and we are willing to work with GM to fill all the available manufacturing space at Poletown with either GM-related entities or other companies."

UAW responded by calling the automaker's moves a "callous decision" that is "profoundly damaging to our American workforce." Much like Trump, the union pointed to the past of the "historical American-made bailout."

"GM's production decisions, in light of employee concessions during the economic downturn and a taxpayer bailout from bankruptcy, puts profits before the working families of this country whose personal sacrifices stood with GM during those dark days," Terry Dittes, UAW vice president and director of the GM department, said in a statement.

"These decisions are a slap in the face to the memory and recall of that historical American made bailout."

As part of the cuts, GM will also cease production of the Chevrolet Impala, Volt and Cruze, and is also thought to be eyeing the Cadillac XTS, CT6 and Buick LaCrosse for the chopping block.