Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) speaks with reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.
Tom Williams | CQ-Roll Call Inc. | Getty Images
The sponsor of a bill that would strengthen the U.S. government’s ban on Chinese cars said Tuesday that talks continue to ensure German automakers import Chinese cars. mercedes benz Vehicle sales in the United States are not prohibited.
A bill approved by the Senate Commerce Committee in July would prohibit companies with more than 15% Chinese ownership from selling cars in the United States, including Mercedes-Benz, which has nearly 20% passive ownership by Chinese companies.
“What we obviously won’t do is ban Mercedes-Benz cars in the United States,” Republican Bernie Moreno said, adding, “There are concerns about whether we can get to 15% without weakening the company.”
Moreno hopes to win early approval of the Chinese auto bill this week before the Senate adjourns until November as talks with Sen. Rand Paul continue.
Mercedes-Benz did not immediately comment.
Moreno said there was discussion about how to ensure that. volvo carsmajority owned by China Geely Holdingmay continue to sell vehicles in the United States.
“We’re looking at a lot of different things,” Moreno said.
Mr. Moreno also pointed out that: aston martin — Britain’s Lotus, which is 17% owned by Geely and majority owned by Geely, both could be banned by law.
Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin, the bill’s other lead sponsor, said last week that all Democrats support moving the bill forward, with Paul the only one opposed.
“My understanding is 99 to 1,” she said.
Sen. Paul told Reuters that he thought the bill was an unfair attack on Mercedes-Benz. “I told them if they take it out of the bill, I can move forward with it. We need to take it out of the bill. The bill shouldn’t directly attack one company.”
The bill has significant momentum, with the House version now having more than 100 co-sponsors, and automakers and legislative aides aiming for full passage this year.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said on Fox News that he would allow Chinese car companies to produce cars in the US, sparking alarm among automakers. Automakers, suppliers, and dealers called on President Trump to “maintain a locked-door policy for Chinese automakers seeking to sell, import, or manufacture vehicles in the United States.”
Regulations imposed by the former Biden administration in early 2025 effectively barred all Chinese automakers from selling or manufacturing passenger cars in the United States because they could send sensitive driver data to China. The US government also maintains tariffs of over 100% on Chinese electric vehicles.
China’s Foreign Ministry has previously called on the United States to “respect the laws of the market economy and the principles of fair competition” and criticized previous proposals against Chinese companies as “unwarranted oppression”. The report argues that Chinese cars’ global popularity is due to their technological innovations and reflects an aggressive domestic market.
