Senator-elect urges Stellantis to return to American brand

Bernie Moreno says Stellantis is a ‘terrible steward’ of the brands and should be sold and returned to U.S. ownership

Change is brewing in the U.S. auto industry, and newly elected Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno is at the center of it. Moreno, a former car dealer with strong opinions about Stellantis and its leadership, had a new vision: He wanted the automaker to sell its U.S. assets back to the United States. His stance reflects growing frustration with how Stellantis manages brands such as Jeep, Ram, Dodge and Chrysler.

Strantis didn’t have the best year. In the third quarter alone, its brand’s North American sales plummeted 36%. To add insult to injury, the company parted ways with CEO Carlos Tavares without a clear succession plan. Moreno’s criticism stems from the numbers within the brand and the erosion of American identity.

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“They are a terrible brand manager,” Moreno told Bloomberg. “I hope John Elkann does the right thing and spins off Chrysler and returns it to American ownership.” He also had critical words for now-former CEO Carlos Tavares: “This The guy fired all the Americans. He’s been squeezing the profits out of this company.” Moreno also believes Strantis will move production away from the U.S. to other countries.

Stellantis responded by highlighting its deep American roots and ongoing projects, saying: “Iconic brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram have nearly 100 years of presence in the United States and are core to Stellantis’ strategy. We Together with our partners and stakeholders, we will continue to build Stellantis into the automotive company of the future.”

“We are proud to employ thousands of people and support our communities in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio,” it added. “2025 will be an exciting year with many projects set to benefit from the group’s cutting-edge technology and scale.”

Moreno isn’t the only one who wants to see Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram run by American companies. Earlier this year, Frank B. Rhodes Jr., the great-grandson of Walter P. Chrysler, said he wanted to create a new Chrysler company consisting of four brands with him at the helm . He is already working with investors and workers to find a way to bring them back under U.S. control.