Photos: President Joe Biden speaks to local UAW members in Belvidere

November 9, 2023|By Kevin Haas|In 815 News, Local, Trending, Belvidere
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — President Joe Biden visited the city on Thursday to speak to local United Auto Workers in celebration of a tentative contract that could lead to the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant.

Full story: Biden to Belvidere workers: ‘You’re changing the face of the country economically’

The contract, if ratified by union members, could lead to a $5 billion investment here by Stellantis. The company would build a new plant to make mid-sized pickup trucks, it would turn the Belvidere Assembly Plant into a parts distribution center and it would build a new electric vehicle battery plant.

Visits here by a sitting president are rare. Only five have visited the Rockford region since 1960.

Here’s a look at some of the images from Thursday’s speech.

President Joe Biden waves to the crowd on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, after delivering remarks to UAW Local 1268 workers at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden reacts to the crowd on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, during his remarks at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
UAW President Shawn Fain
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain raises a fist on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, during his remarks at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
UAW Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen hands President Joe Biden a “We are Belvidere” T-shirt on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, before Biden delivered remarks at the Community Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Susan Moran/Special to the Rock River Current)
Niki Cruz
UAW member Niki Cruz of Rockford fires up the crowd on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, before introducing Gov. JB Pritzker to speak at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. Pritzker was speaking with UAW President Shawn Fain and President Joe Biden. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden speaks Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, to United Auto Workers Local 1268 and other guest at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
UAW Local 1268 members wait for President Joe Biden to speak on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The sign on the Community Building Complex of Boone County is lit up to welcome President Joe Biden on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden reacts to the UAW Local 1268 members on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, during a speech at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden puts on a “We are Belvidere” UAW Local 1268 T-shirt on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, with Local 1268 President Matt Frantzen at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Joe Biden in Belvidere
President Joe Biden speaks Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, to United Auto Workers Local 1268 and other guest at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden speaks Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, to United Auto Workers Local 1268 and other guest at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
President Joe Biden speaks Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, to United Auto Workers Local 1268 and other guest at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
Joe Biden 'We are Belvidere'
President Joe Biden, wearing a “We are Belvidere” T-shirt, leaves the stage on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023, after delivering remarks to UAW members at the Community Building Complex of Boone County in Belvidere. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Photos by Kevin Haas and Susan Moran. Email Haas at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas