Donald Trump Claims Sprint to Create Previously Announced Jobs 'Because of Me'
Sprint, OneWeb say the 8,000 jobs they'll create are part of an earlier pledge.
-- President-elect Donald Trump today touted the creation of 8,000 jobs in the U.S., but the two companies involved in those plans say the positions are part of a Japanese technology company’s previous pledge to create 50,000 jobs in the country.
Speaking to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida today, Trump announced that telecommunications company Sprint will bring 5,000 jobs “back” to the U.S. and technology start-up OneWeb would create 3,000 jobs here.
“I was just called by the head people at Sprint, and they are going to be bringing 5,000 jobs back to the United States,” Trump said. "Also OneWeb, a new company, is going to be hiring 3,000 people, so that is very exciting.”
“Because of me they’re doing 5,000 jobs in this country,” Trump later said of Sprint’s decision.
Sprint and OneWeb tell ABC News the jobs Trump referenced are part of Japanese technology company SoftBank’s previously announced commitment to create 50,000 jobs.
On December 6th, Trump met with SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son, who announced his company would invest $50 billion in the U.S. and create 50,000 jobs. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal at the time, Son said the investment would come from a $100 billion investment fund SoftBank established with a series of partners, including Saudi Arabia’s government-owned investment fund.
SoftBank has deep ties to both Sprint and OneWeb. SoftBank holds a majority stake in Sprint and has promised to investment $1 billion in OneWeb.
Sprint said the company will “create or bring back” 5,000 jobs to the U.S. across the organization, including in its customer care and sales teams. Earlier this year, Sprint cut 2500 jobs, mostly at customer care centers, as part of an effort to reduce costs.
“We are excited to work with President-elect Trump and his administration to do our part to drive economic growth and create jobs in the U.S.," Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure, who phoned Trump today, said. “We believe it is critical for business and government to partner together to create more job opportunities in the U.S. and ensure prosperity for all Americans."
A Sprint spokesperson tells ABC News "the 5,000 jobs are part of the 50,000 jobs that Masa Son announced a few weeks ago but these jobs will be funded by Sprint, not SoftBank.”
OneWeb, which is developing a network of satellites to provide global broadband access, had previously announced SoftBank would invest $1 billion in its company. The company said that investment would help construct a satellite manufacturing facility in Exploration Park, Florida, and could create 3,000 jobs across the U.S.
Greg Wyler, the founder and chairman of OneWeb, said the 3,000 jobs his company will create are part of SoftBank’s initial 50,000 jobs pledge.
Wyler said Son agreed to invest in his company before the investor’s December meeting with Trump but after that meeting, Son decided to increase the investment in OneWeb to $1 billion. Wyler would not discuss what Son’s initial investment promise entailed.
Wyler said Trump “played a role in Masa Son’s excitement” and said Son’s decision to increase his investment was part of his “drive towards achieving his promise to Trump.”