Audi CEO Faces Backlash After Appearing at Trump Campaign Rally

Gernot Döllner, chief executive of German automaker Audi, is facing sharp criticism after appearing alongside US President Donald Trump at a midterm election campaign rally, Reuters and German financial daily Handelsblatt reported.

According to Handelsblatt, further details have emerged regarding the circumstances that led to Döllner's controversial appearance on stage, amid suggestions that he felt he had little choice. At the same time, the newspaper reported that the supervisory board of Audi's parent company, the Volkswagen Group, is bracing for complicated negotiations regarding a multi-billion-dollar investment in the United States.

Further details regarding the company leadership's formal position and the wider fallout from the appearance have not yet been released.