DOT Secretary Sean Duffy sent Ford CEO Jim Farley a letter urging the automaker to reconsider its deals with Chinese companies.
Duffy slammed Ford's licensing deal with CATL to make batteries in Michigan.
Ford said it owns and operates the plant and called the letter a "wrongheaded attempt to capture headlines."
In a letter sent to Ford CEO Jim Farley that was shared on Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed "profound concern" at the automaker's deals with Chinese companies and pressed Farley to cut ties with the country.
"While DOT recognizes the intense competitive pressures of the global market, the Company's recent strategic decisions paint a troubling picture of a foundational American brand actively intertwining its future with Chinese state-backed enterprises," Duffy said.
