Trump Launches ‘Tiny Car’ Revolution, Says It Will Give Americans Affordable Wheels

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Friday to announce with typical gusto that he had “approved TINY CARS” to be manufactured in the United States.

“I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America,” Trump wrote. “Manufacturers have long wanted to do this, just like they are so successfully built in other countries. They can be propelled by gasoline, electric, or hybrid. These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW!”

Trump’s directive came just two days after unveiling his administration’s “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” initiative — a sweeping reset of federal fuel economy standards designed to roll back what he called the Biden-Buttigieg “illegal backdoor EV mandate.” The new plan, Trump argued, would free American families from inflated car prices driven by government coercion and environmental overreach.

The announcement sparked fresh debate after Trump elaborated that he wanted to see the kind of ultra-compact “tiny cars” popular in Japan and South Korea in the United States — effectively endorsing kei cars, the pint-sized, lightweight vehicles that dot Asia’s urban streets. “They’re really cute,” Trump said, likening them to the classic Volkswagen Beetle and praising models by Honda and Toyota.

Trump told Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to “clear the regulations” so automakers could begin production immediately.

50% off DailyWire+ annual memberships will not return for another year, so don’t miss this deal! Join now at DailyWire.com/cyberweek.

The reality is complex. Under existing law, kei cars can only be imported if they are 25 years old, and even then, individual states often block their registration. They routinely fail to meet federal safety and emissions standards — rules governing everything from crumple zones to axle width. Legalizing them would require a massive overhaul of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards or special exemptions — processes that can take years. Even if permitted federally, states could still ban their operation on public roads.

Industry analysts also question whether there’s a viable American market for such microcars. Compact vehicles already make up less than 10 percent of new car sales, with American consumers favoring trucks and SUVs. Thirty percent may say they’d consider a small car, but only four percent ever buy one. Meanwhile, retooling plants to build kei-class vehicles would demand billions in new investment for uncertain returns.

Still, Trump’s pitch — equal parts populism and nostalgia — hits a familiar chord: freedom of choice, affordability, and defiance of regulatory elites. Whether the dream of “cute, tiny cars made in America” materializes or fades like past promises of cheap, simple mobility remains to be seen. But with average car prices now approaching $50,000, there’s no mistaking the political potency of promising that freedom really can fit in a smaller package.