Foxconn project in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, which was championed by President Donald Trump. Instead of bringing a manufacturing boom, the project led to the demolition of homes and farms in the area, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars with little to show for it.
The failed Foxconn deal
Original promise: In 2017, the deal announced by Trump and then-Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker involved Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, building a $10 billion factory to create 13,000 high-tech jobs in exchange for over $4 billion in state and local tax breaks. Trump hailed it as the "eighth wonder of the world".
Demolition and displacement: To make way for the massive campus, the Village of Mount Pleasant used eminent domain to acquire and demolish more than 100 properties, displacing families and family farms. Public funds were used to buy land and build infrastructure for a project that never fully materialized.
Scaled-back plans:
Foxconn repeatedly changed its plans, abandoning the promise of a large-screen LCD factory. The company instead built a few structures, including a large silver globe, and now uses its limited facilities for smaller-scale operations, such as data server manufacturing and storage.
Current state: As of 2024, Foxconn employs around 1,000 to 1,200 people in Wisconsin, far fewer than the 13,000 jobs originally promised. After renegotiations in 2021, Foxconn is eligible for a drastically reduced tax incentive package of up to $80 million.
