Made in the USA: President Trump’s Buy American, Hire American Strategy
View/download full report
From the day he took office, President Donald J. Trump made revitalizing American manufacturing a cornerstone of his administration. Guided by the principles of “Buy American, Hire American”, the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy advanced initiatives that created thousands of new jobs, boosted wages, and strengthened U.S. national security.
Five Dimensions of the Strategy:
- Buy American Procurement: Strengthened and expanded policies ensuring over $200 billion in annual federal procurement supports U.S.-made products. Trump signed at least 10 executive orders closing loopholes, raising domestic steel requirements from 50% to 95%, and extending Buy American standards to state and local projects.
- Hire American Actions: Immigration and labor policies prioritized American workers, reducing unfair foreign competition in the labor market.
- Trade Negotiations & Tariffs: Renegotiated trade deals and imposed tariffs to protect U.S. industries from unfair foreign practices, especially China’s.
- Defense Budget & Foreign Military Sales: Investments bolstered America’s defense industrial base, reinforcing the link between economic and national security.
- The Jones Act & Industry-Specific Measures: Support for longstanding legislation and targeted executive orders restored critical industries, from pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to energy and fisheries.
Key Results:
- Domestic procurement rose from $332 billion under Obama-Biden (2015–2016) to $419 billion under Trump-Pence (2018–2019), a 26% increase.
- Buy American waiver values decreased by 8%, signaling a tighter focus on domestic production.
- Executive orders reshored critical supply chains, including medicines, medical equipment, and bulk power infrastructure, while expanding opportunities for American commercial fishermen.
Conclusion:
By embedding Buy American and Hire American principles into federal procurement, trade, and industrial policy, President Trump not only revitalized U.S. manufacturing but also reinforced the national security doctrine that “economic security is national security.”