Trump revs up attacks on Harley-Davidson over production move

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO - US President Donald Trump threatened Harley-Davidson Inc with higher taxes and said the iconic motorcycle maker would suffer from a public backlash if it goes ahead with a plan to move production for European customers overseas.

Trump's latest attack on a US corporation is a sharp reverse for the president, who early in his administration hailed the company as a model of American manufacturing and posed with some of its bikes in front of the White House.

"A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country-never! Their employees and customers are already very angry at them," Trump said on Twitter early on Tuesday. "If they move, watch, it will be the beginning of the end - they surrendered, they quit! The Aura will be gone and they will be taxed like never before!" Trump said.

It was unclear what taxes Trump was referring to, and why the company might have to pay them, since it intends to maintain production in the United States for U.S. customers. The White House did not return a request for comment on Trump's tweet.

Harley-Davidson shares fell nearly 1 percent to $41.23, after losing nearly 6 percent on Monday. Company representatives did not reply to requests for comment on the president's tweets.