"General Motors made a big China bet years ago when they built plants there (and in Mexico) - don’t think that bet is going to pay off," President Donald Trump tweeted on Tuesday. | AP Photo/Alex Brandon White House Trump says he is considering cutting GM subsidies in response to layoffs

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to cut government subsidies to General Motors in response to the auto company's announcement Monday that it will shutter North American plants and cut thousands of jobs.

"Very disappointed with General Motors and their CEO, Mary Barra, for closing plants in Ohio, Michigan and Maryland. Nothing being closed in Mexico & China," Trump tweeted. "We are now looking at cutting all @GM subsidies, including...for electric cars. General Motors made a big China bet years ago when they built plants there (and in Mexico) - don’t think that bet is going to pay off."


White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said much the same during a White House news briefing Tuesday, saying before the president's tweet that the administration was "going to be looking at certain subsidies regarding electric cars and others, whether they should apply or not."

"I can’t say anything final about that, but we’re looking into it," Kudlow said. "Again, that reflects the president’s own disappointment."

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The U.S. currently offers a federal tax credit of as much as $7,500 per new electric vehicle purchased in the U.S. GM is part of a coalition formed earlier this month that has been lobbying to expand the subsidy, which is available for the first 200,000 cars produced.

Since GM is already close to reaching the 200,000 limit, cutting its subsidy for producing electric cars wouldn't have much effect under current law.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters that she was uncertain of a specific timeline for the move.