Navistar plant in Ohio shuts, 1,400 workers laid off days before Trump rally
The shutdown erases a year of job growth in the Dayton area and prompts a laid‑off worker to campaign for Democrats.
By Felo News Desk · Published
On Wednesday, about 1,400 workers were let go as Navistar closed its truck factory in southwestern Ohio, three days before President Donald Trump’s rally at a nearby high school, according to the Los Angeles Times and the New Indian Express.
What happened
The Navistar plant in Springfield, Ohio, ceased operations on September 30, 2026, resulting in layoffs that "essentially erase an entire year of job growth" in the greater Dayton region. The shutdown came just before a scheduled Trump rally on Saturday, October 5, 2026, at a high school in the same area.
What the reports add
The Los Angeles Times noted that the layoffs wiped out roughly a year’s worth of employment gains in the Dayton labor market, which has lost about half of its 90,000 factory jobs since 1990. The New Indian Express echoed this impact and added that the layoffs occurred "just three days before Donald Trump's rally" and highlighted the plant’s former status as a Navistar facility.
What was said
"Something has to change politically in this country," said Kyle Bos, a 30‑year‑old member of the United Auto Workers Local 402, to the Los Angeles Times. Bos, who has two daughters and a third child due in January, told the outlet he plans to spend the final weeks before the November election canvassing for Democratic candidates. He also indicated he is no longer a Trump supporter, holding up three tattooed fingers when asked how many times he had voted for the president.
How it came about
The plant’s closure follows long‑term declines in manufacturing jobs in the Dayton area, a trend Felo News previously covered in its report on student threats ahead of a Trump rally in Alabama (Felo). The timing of the layoffs, occurring days before a high‑profile political event, underscores the economic and political stakes for working‑class voters in the region.
Key facts
- Nearly 1,400 workers were laid off from Navistar's Springfield, Ohio truck factory on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. (latimes.com)
- The layoffs happened three days before a Donald Trump rally scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2026, at a nearby high school. (newindianexpress.com)
- UAW Local 402 member Kyle Bos, 30, said he will campaign for Democrats in the upcoming election. (latimes.com)
Sources
- [1] latimes.com
- [2] newindianexpress.com
