Angel investor Jason Calacanis warned that opening U.S. markets to Chinese electric vehicles could endanger domestic automakers, even as consumers are drawn to their lower prices. His comments followed Senator Elissa Slotkin’s statement that she had heard rumors President Donald Trump could grant Chinese carmakers U.S. access as part of a broader agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The White House has not announced any rollback of current restrictions. Section 301 tariffs on Chinese EVs reached 100% in 2024, while a separate 25% tariff on imported passenger vehicles and light trucks took effect in April 2025. The Commerce Department has also restricted certain connected vehicles and vehicle connectivity and automated-driving software and hardware with a sufficient nexus to China, citing data-extraction and remote-manipulation risks. Slotkin and Senator Bernie Moreno introduced the Connected Vehicle Security Act, which would bar vehicles, software and hardware linked to entities with more than 15% Chinese ownership across the supply chain. The debate has intensified as BYD sold 2.26 million EVs in 2025, compared with Tesla’s 1.64 million deliveries, while Chinese brands expand in Canada and Mexico. Chinese passenger-vehicle exports rose 77.5% year over year in August to 894,000, and electrified-vehicle exports surged 154.7%. Independent testing also complicates claims that Chinese EVs are broadly unsafe, with Euro NCAP awarding five-star ratings to three Chinese models under its tougher 2026 protocols.