President Donald Trump’s first speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday was noticeably more measured than some of his previous speeches. But one topic did generate some laughs from the gallery: Harley-Davidson’s recent White House visit.
Trump said his meeting with some of the motorcycle manufacturer’s executives largely focused on the company’s issues dealing with foreign nations. Apparently, however, Harley also used the White House lawn to display some if its bikes, going so far as to offer Trump a ride.
Harley’s visit to Washington came after the President reportedly cancelled a visit to the company’s Milwaukee headquarters in February.
The President’s humorous quip Tuesday night was followed by a retelling of the more-serious conversations he held with Harley executives.
“At our meeting, I asked them, ‘How are you doing? How is business?’ They said that it’s good,” Trump said during the address. “I asked them further how they are doing with other countries, mainly international sales. They told me — without even complaining because they have been mistreated for so long that they have become used to it — that it is very hard to do business with other countries because they tax our goods at such a high rate.
“They said that, in one case, another country taxed their motorcycles at 100 percent. They weren’t even asking for change. But I am.”
Though not to the extent at which he discussed Harley, Trump also made references during his address to recent meetings and conversations he’s held with Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
