Trump Meets Novartis Chief, Says Drugmaker Plans 11 U.S. Plants

Novartis U.S. Expansion and Tariff Context

ROME, Georgia, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he met Vas Narasimhan, the chief executive officer of Swiss drugmaker Novartis, at the White House on Wednesday.

White House Meeting and Claims

Trump, addressing workers at a steel plant in Rome, Georgia on Thursday, said Narasimhan told him during the meeting that his company was building 11 U.S. plants as a result of the president's tariff policies.

North Carolina and California Projects

Company Statement on Facilities

"We appreciate the opportunity to update the U.S. government on our progress, including recent groundbreakings for manufacturing and research facilities in North Carolina and California and plans to expand our radioligand therapy manufacturing network with a new site in Florida," a spokesperson for Novartis told Reuters in an emailed statement.

Details Pending on Facility Count

The statement did not add any details on the number of facilities planned in the U.S.

Prior U.S. Investment Plans

Last year, the Swiss drugmaker said it planned to spend $23 billion to build and expand 10 facilities in the U.S. after the Trump administration threatened to impose drug import duties.    

Reporting and Editing Credits

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Sneha SK, Additional reporting by Abu Sultan in Bengaluru; Writing by Andrea Shalal, Editing by Bhargav Acharya and Kate Mayberry)