Trump Meets Auto Industry Executives from GM, Ford and Others to Discuss Right-to-Repair Legislation
Taylor Wilson
Trump met GM, Ford, and industry group leaders at the White House on June 4 to discuss right-to-repair legislation — who gets access to vehicle diagnostic data will reshape the roughly $200 billion U.S. auto aftermarket.
What is this fight actually about?
The core dispute is simple: who gets to read your car's diagnostic data — the owner and any independent shop, or only the authorized dealer?
This means → whoever controls the data gateway controls pricing power over a $200 billion aftermarket.
In plain terms = if only the manufacturer can see what's wrong with your car, you can only get it fixed — and priced — on the manufacturer's terms.
Who was in the room, and what was said?
Attendees included GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford senior executive Andrew Frick, and top officials from the National Automobile Dealers Association and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
Trump said afterward: "They don't want people to fix their own cars. I said, 'That's a strange thing!'" — a skeptical tone, but no explicit endorsement of either bill.
This reflects a White House still testing each side's red lines, not yet placing a bet.
Two bills — what is the real difference?
Bill A (passed a House committee last week): codifies the industry's existing voluntary memorandum into law, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Automakers back it, arguing 75% of post-warranty repairs already happen at independent shops.
Bill B (pushed by several lawmakers + independent repair shops): mandates that automakers open all diagnostic, calibration, and recalibration data to owners and independents.
In plain terms = A says "we're already sharing — just lock in the status quo." B says "you're not sharing enough — open everything."
What is each side really protecting?
The automaker-dealer alliance backs Bill A — keep data inside the factory ecosystem, keep aftermarket profits from leaking out.
Independent shops + consumer advocates push Bill B — they say automakers inflate repair costs by restricting data access, forcing independents to pay steep fees for software licenses.
Dealers raise an extra concern: full data access would let aftermarket parts makers reverse-engineer OEM components and produce knockoffs, and give insurers more power to dictate repair decisions.
Why does Trump's stance matter so much?
Both bills are advancing in Congress in parallel. Which one reaches the finish line depends heavily on where the White House leans.
Trump's "that's a strange thing" line signals discomfort with automakers hoarding data, but it falls well short of endorsing Bill B.
This means → the legislative fight has entered a critical window: automakers will ramp up lobbying, while the independent-repair side needs to play the "consumer interest" card louder.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.