Trump says businesses that moved to S. Korea, other countries are 'coming back home'

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at General Motors proving ground, in Milford, Mich., July 27. AP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that auto and other businesses that moved to South Korea, Japan and other foreign countries are coming back to the United States, as he touted his administration's efforts to revive American manufacturing through tariffs and other measures.

Trump made the remarks during a visit to a General Motors facility in Milford, Michigan, reiterating that if automakers build their products in America, they will face no tariffs.

"We are building more plants than anybody in the world, and frankly, the businesses are all moving. Many of these businesses ... they left here and they went to foreign countries," he said.

"They went to Germany. They went to Mexico. They went to Japan. They went to South Korea. Car businesses, a lot of businesses, and now they are coming back home where they belong," he added.

Trump defended his use of tariffs to reduce America's trade deficits and strengthen its manufacturing.

"I placed historic tariffs on foreign producers and manufacturers, including a 25 percent tariff on foreign automobiles -- something that no other president had the courage to ever do," he said.

He restated that companies that make their cars in the U.S. pay "zero tariffs."

"If you build in a factory in Michigan or someplace in our country, and make your automobiles or trucks right here in America, you pay zero taxes, zero tariff," he said.