Toyota CEO goes full MAGA at Japanese NASCAR race, investing nearly $1B in US manufacturing. Why he’s betting on America

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President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs have shaken foreign automakers, so it came as a surprise when Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda was spotted wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat over the weekend.

Toyoda appeared at a NASCAR event at Fuji Speedway on Sunday, where the crowd cheered and waved American flags. He didn’t just sport a MAGA hat — he also wore a “Trump–Vance 2024” T-shirt (1). The event was also attended by U.S. Ambassador to Japan, George Glass.

Toyota has long been the best-selling foreign automaker in America, which makes tariffs a high-stakes issue for the company. Toyoda used Sunday’s appearance to make his stance clear.

“I’m not here to argue whether tariffs are good or bad. Every national leader wants to protect their own auto industry,” he said. “We are exploring ways to make tariffs a winner for everyone. The people we want most to be winners are our customers.”

In September, Trump signed an executive order cutting tariffs on Japanese auto imports from 27.5% to 15%.

Just two days after Toyoda’s MAGA appearance, Toyota announced a $912 million investment in the U.S (2).

The new funding will go to five Toyota manufacturing plants involved in hybrid vehicle production: the Buffalo plant in West Virginia, Georgetown plant in Kentucky, Blue Springs plant in Mississippi, Jackson plant in Tennessee and Troy plant in Missouri.

The investment is part of Toyota’s broader plan to inject up to $10 billion into its U.S. operations over the next five years, as announced on Nov. 13 (3).

And Toyota isn’t the only multinational committing big money to the U.S.

Major companies across industries are pouring billions into America. Apple has announced a sweeping $600 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing and workforce training (4). Johnson & Johnson plans to put $55 billion into U.S. manufacturing, research and development and new technologies (5). And Hyundai is investing $21 billion in the U.S. to boost automotive production capacity, localize key components and accelerate work on future industries (6).

These massive commitments point to a broader reality: even as policies shift — and even when they’re unpopular, with some of Trump’s own supporters criticizing tariffs — global companies still view the U.S. as one of the most reliable places to build and grow.

America’s economic strength and long-term growth potential have made it a magnet for capital for decades. That optimism is shared by some of the world’s most successful investors, including Warren Buffett.

“America has been a terrific country for investors. All they have needed to do is sit quietly, listening to no one,” Buffett wrote in his 2023 shareholder letter (7).

Buffett has been remarkably consistent on this point.

“For 240 years, it’s been a terrible mistake to bet against America and now is no time to start. America’s golden goose of commerce and innovation will continue to lay more and larger eggs,” he wrote in 2016 (8).

His unwavering confidence in the country has paid off: U.S. equities have been a cornerstone of his wealth.

“I can’t remember a period since March 11, 1942 — the date of my first stock purchase — that I have not had a majority of my net worth in equities, U.S.-based equities,” he recalled (7).

For those looking to follow in Buffett’s footsteps, he has long championed a simple but effective strategy: investing in an S&P 500 index fund.

“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is own the S&P 500 index fund,” Buffett has famously stated (9). This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America’s largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.

The beauty of this tactic is its accessibility — anyone, regardless of wealth, can take advantage of it. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, a popular app that automatically invests your spare change.

Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes: Link your cards and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar, investing the difference — your spare change — into a diversified portfolio.

With Acorns, you can invest in an S&P 500 ETF with as little as $5 — and, if you sign up today with a recurring monthly contribution, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.

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Beyond stocks, real estate has long been another cornerstone of wealth-building in America.

In fact, Buffett often points to real estate when explaining what a productive, income-generating asset looks like. In 2022, Buffett stated that if you offered him “1% of all the apartment houses in the country” for $25 billion, he would write you a check (10).

Why? Because, regardless of what’s happening in the broader economy, people still need a place to live, and apartments can consistently produce rent money.

Real estate also offers a built-in hedge against inflation. When inflation rises, property values often increase as well, reflecting the higher costs of materials, labor and land. At the same time, rental income tends to go up, providing landlords with a revenue stream that adjusts with inflation.

Of course, you don’t need $25 billion — or even to buy a single property outright — to invest in real estate. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to get exposure to this income-generating asset class.

Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of rental homes with as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets or handling difficult tenants.

The process is simple: browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you’d like to purchase and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.

Another option is First National Realty Partners (FNRP), which allows accredited investors to diversify their portfolio through grocery-anchored commercial properties without taking on the responsibilities of being a landlord.

With a minimum investment of $50,000, investors can own a share of properties leased by national brands like Whole Foods, Kroger and Walmart, which provide essential goods to their communities. Thanks to triple net leases, accredited investors are able to invest in these properties without worrying about tenant costs cutting into their potential returns.

Simply answer a few questions — including how much you would like to invest — to start browsing their full list of available properties.

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Fox Business (1); Toyota (2, 3); Apple (4); Johnson&Johnson (5); Hyundai News (6); Berkshire Hathaway (7), (8); CNBC (9), (10)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.