U.S. Senator Wants Chrysler Brands Back Under American Ownership

Mergers aren’t all that uncommon among automakers and other large companies, but the shift in ownership dynamics often means the resulting combined company is based in a different country than it was originally. That is the case with Stellantis, which has its headquarters in the Netherlands but controls automakers based in the U.S., Italy, and elsewhere, and a recently-elected United States Senator wants to change it.

As a former car dealer, Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno knows Stellantis well and has strong opinions about the company. He says he wants Stellantis to sell its U.S. assets back to a domestic owner, which would impact Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. None of the brands has had a particularly glowing business year in 2024, leading Moreno to call for new owners.

“They’ve been a terrible steward of the brands,” he told Bloomberg. “I’m hoping that John Elkann (chairman) does the right thing and spins off Chrysler Corporation and puts it back in American ownership.” Of former CEO Tavares, he said, “This guy fired all the Americans. He’s been milking this company to death.” He also said he believes the automaker would move more jobs from the U.S. to other countries.

Others want the same thing, including Walter P. Chrysler’s great-grandson, Frank B. Rhodes Jr. He has expressed interest in creating a new, American-owned Chrysler Corporation and has generated enough momentum to get investors behind him.

[Images: Stellantis]

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