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WSJ What’s News

Can a Chinese Car Company Make It in America?

08 Jan 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

2.343 - 14.454 Alex Ossola

The vice president defends the ICE agent who killed a woman in Minneapolis. Plus, Chinese car company Geely is considering a big push in the U.S. We'll look at the challenges in its way.

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14.754 - 31.489 Ryan Felton

There was just a congressional hearing a few weeks ago about what was described as China's threat to the American auto industry. The top lobbying group is urging the Trump administration to prevent Chinese companies from coming here. Given that political reality, it's not just tariffs that might be the thing that holds it up.

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31.587 - 36.721 Alex Ossola

and Iran's internet shuts down amid widespread unrest. It's Thursday, January 8th.

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Chapter 2: What challenges does Geely face in expanding to the U.S. market?

37.342 - 62.34 Alex Ossola

I'm Alex Ocele for The Wall Street Journal. This is the PM edition of What's News, the top headlines and business stories that move the world today. In Minneapolis, there's a deepening political divide after an ICE officer yesterday shot and killed a 37-year-old woman, Renee Nicole Good. The Trump administration says the agent fired in self-defense after Good tried to run over officers.

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62.82 - 82.605 Alex Ossola

But state and city officials dispute that version of events. Videos from the scene have raised questions about whether Good was trying to flee rather than harm someone. Now, Minnesota officials say the FBI has shut them out of the investigation into the shooting. Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, said an investigation that doesn't include state law enforcement can't be trusted.

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82.645 - 105.25 Unknown

It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome. And I say that only because people in positions of power have already passed judgment from the president to the vice president to Kristi Noem have stood and told you things that are verifiably false.

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105.466 - 113.374 Alex Ossola

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the state's law enforcement agency doesn't have any jurisdiction in the investigation. Vice President J.D.

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Chapter 3: How is the political landscape affecting Chinese car companies in America?

113.454 - 120.381 Alex Ossola

Vance, speaking in the White House briefing room today, defended the agent responsible for yesterday's shooting. He also criticized Goode.

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120.762 - 134.055 Joe Barrett

I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it's a tragedy of her own making and a tragedy of the far left who has marshaled an entire movement, a lunatic fringe, against our law enforcement officers.

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134.221 - 137.245 Alex Ossola

Meanwhile, protests against ICE have continued in the city.

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137.625 - 139.447 Unknown

ICE go home!

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139.467 - 149.439 Alex Ossola

ICE go home! WSJ National Affairs reporter Joe Barrett is on the ground in Minneapolis and joins me now. Joe, you were just at some of the protests there. What are they like?

150.08 - 169.522 Unknown

There were probably dozens of protesters and more than 100 Border Patrol agents and other federal agents lined up, preventing them from getting into the parking lot of this very large building, this little federal building where The Border Patrol has based their operations in Minneapolis. People yelling and screaming. So, you know, emotions running very high.

169.602 - 174.19 Unknown

But, you know, just since it's a random Thursday, not a huge, huge amount of people there.

175.492 - 179.598 Alex Ossola

Just generally in the city, like what's the vibe kind of like right now?

180.059 - 197.999 Unknown

This is the city that faced the whole George Floyd protests. And they're kind of feeling like it's sort of happening again. Their city's been taken over by this national event. And people are on edge. You just don't know where ICE is going to show up next. People are coming out onto the streets and blowing their whistles and trying to let their neighbors know about it.

Chapter 4: What recent events in Minneapolis are impacting public sentiment towards ICE?

212.723 - 230.022 Unknown

I spoke with a woman who lives across from Powderhorn Park, which saw an encampment during the George Floyd protests. And she says she lives about five blocks from where this shooting happened yesterday. She and her daughter came to the... protest today. And she said her daughter was like really trying to engage with some of these guys.

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230.222 - 243.277 Unknown

I saw several conversations between people and the Border Patrol agents. And, you know, she said she was asking them, you know, do you have any pets? Where do you live? Where are you from? You know, trying to make a connection with these people and not just, you know, vilify them. Of course, there were plenty of people there that were just screaming at them.

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243.357 - 246.361 Unknown

But there's also sort of the Minnesota nice way of doing these kinds of things.

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247.182 - 250.666 Alex Ossola

That was WSJ National Affairs reporter Joe Barrett. Thank you, Joe.

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251.086 - 251.927 Unknown

All right. Thanks a lot, guys.

256.143 - 278.1 Alex Ossola

And in Washington, the Senate today voted in favor of a resolution to block President Trump from taking military action in Venezuela without approval from Congress. Five Republican lawmakers sided with Democrats to pass the motion, and President Trump then lashed out at those GOP senators by name. The measure is unlikely to become law, but it's a rare bipartisan rebuke of the White House.

278.08 - 304.155 Alex Ossola

Meanwhile, in Venezuela, the government said it would release political prisoners. It's not clear how many, but Jorge Rodriguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodriguez, said that it's a gesture, quote, to seek peace. Coming up, the Chinese carmaker that might expand in the U.S., a surprising shrink in the U.S. trade deficit, and an Internet blackout in Iran. That's after the break.

307.679 - 330.089 Alex Ossola

Have you heard of Geely? It's one of China's biggest makers of electric vehicles, and it's a name you might be hearing more often in the future. The company is saying that it's likely to make an announcement about its plans to expand in the U.S. sometime in the next three years. If Geely does expand into the U.S. market, that would make it the first big Chinese auto brand to come to the U.S.

330.209 - 343.971 Alex Ossola

in a major way. I'm joined now by Ryan Felton, who covers the auto industry for The Journal. Ryan, let's lay a little groundwork here. Can Chinese cars actually be sold in the U.S.? Because I thought that was something the Biden administration effectively banned.

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