Every president talks about Made in America. To make these promises a reality, the new Trump administration should pursue:
Former President Donald Trump is now President-elect Donald Trump, who will return to the White House for a second term. coming in 47th The president has long talked about bringing back American manufacturing jobs, and has continued to do so during that time. his recent presidential campaign.
We are an organization dedicated to growing factory jobs and strengthening American manufacturing, so we hope that President Trump will make good on his promise to prioritize this area and lead efforts to get the job done. I’m looking forward to it.
AAM Chairman Scott Paul said: told CBS News After Trump’s victory:
“We want U.S. manufacturing jobs to be a priority…That means continuing to apply tariffs strategically. Smart investments in industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Expand Buy America procurement policies and tax policies to encourage domestic manufacturing; and strengthen apprenticeship and worker training programs.”
Let’s take a closer look at it.
Strategic application of tariffs: We all know Donald Trump says he loves tariffs. During his first term, President Trump imposed Section 301 tariffs on many Chinese imports. In response to China’s consistent trade misconduct. The Trump administration also imposed 25% tariffs on some steel and aluminum imports, measures we strongly supported at the time. Ultimately, it proved to strengthen these important American industries. In fact, President Biden maintained virtually all of President Trump’s tariffs. And in the case of Section 301 tariffs, Some of them were even brought up in major areas.
During the 2024 election period, Mr. Trump pledged A 10% tariff will be imposed on all imported goods and a 60% tariff on goods imported from China. already we are seeing Importers are furious about the plan. Here at AAM, we have always believed that tariffs are neither good nor bad, but rather a strategic trade tool deployed to enforce trade laws and protect national and economic security interests. That’s why we urge the new Trump administration to strategically impose tariffs on key areas where there is proven trade misconduct or where our economy and national security are at risk. I would encourage you to do so. We also think Mr. Trump would be wise to support legislation that: Leveling the Playing Field Act 2.0This will create new, more flexible trade instruments that will allow the United States to better (and more quickly) respond to the ever-evolving bad practices of China and other countries.
Invest wisely in industry, innovation and infrastructure: Trump talked a lot about infrastructure spending during his first term, but infrastructure spending was ultimately passed during the Biden administration. Congress and the administration also passed industrial policies such as CHIPS, the Science Act, and the Anti-Inflation Act. Although President Trump has criticized aspects of the latter law, many of the factories currently being built are due to these policies. will be online during his termit would be surprising if he reversed course and left behind a legacy of half-baked semiconductor, EV, and solar power plants across the United States. And given President Trump’s professed support for American manufacturing, we hope he supports similar investments in American industry, especially building more factories in critical industries. We look forward to your continued investment in innovation and infrastructure to support the growth of these factories. As we have frequently said, these investments should be seen as the first, not the last, step in the growth of U.S. manufacturing, especially in critical areas.
Buy America Sourcing Policy and Tax Expansion: American presidents of both parties tend to make big plays about ensuring that taxpayer dollars go to American-made products and support American workers. But when the government tries to use that tax money, things get caught up in bureaucracy; too many exceptions Allowed.
We look forward to President Trump not only continuing to voice his support for Buy America procurement policies, but also appointing people to key government positions who share his commitment to Made in America. Do you have one such recommendation?Continue: american office And we will ensure that whoever is chosen to head that agency has the power to strengthen Buy America and close loopholes across the federal government.
Strengthening apprenticeship and worker training programs: As mentioned above, new factories are expected to open across the United States during President Trump’s second term. All of these factories need workers to perform their operations, and many existing factories report hiring challenges. Putting too much pressure on legal immigration could also worsen manufacturing employment problems.
The White House has a role to play in addressing these issues. After all, the United States has long prioritized policies that encourage young people to attend four-year colleges. The time to focus on jobs in trades and other industries that provide a good living is past. We encourage Mr. Trump to take the lead, including by bringing together the private sector and unions that have been successful in implementing training programs. We also support President Trump’s expansion of trade adjustment assistance, which provides funding for workers who have lost jobs due to trade policies to participate in training programs to find new jobs, and the new free trade program. We hope that they will not be held hostage to the powers of the agreement or demands for reductions. our own tariffs.
