The exterior of a BYD Co. electric vehicle showroom, operated by Schiller Auto, in Budapest, Hungary, on Monday, May 27, 2024. Chinese EV giant BYD plans to set up its first European car plant in Hungary. Photographer: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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As President Donald Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, lawmakers in both parties are warning the White House not to use the U.S. auto market as a bargaining chip in any deal with Beijing .

The warning stems in part from Trump's January suggestion that he could welcome Chinese automakers if they built vehicles in the U.S. with American workers — remarks that were later walked back but still rattled auto-state lawmakers, unions and industry groups.…