1

 
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.............................................................................................................3

Buy American Procurement.......................................................................................4

Hire American...........................................................................................................6

Defense Against Cheap Foreign Labor and Visa Reforms......................................................... 6

Expanding Apprenticeships and Federal Government Reform................................................ 6

Veterans Transition to the Civilian Workforce .......................................................................... 7

Trade Policy and Tariffs.............................................................................................8

Renegotiating Trade Deals ........................................................................................................ 8

From NAFTA to the USMCA .................................................................................................... 8

Fixing a Flawed KORUS .......................................................................................................... 9

The U.S.-Japan Trade Deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.......................................... 10

The Trump Tariffs..................................................................................................................... 10

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs ................................................................................................. 10

Communist China’s Seven Deadly Sins and the Section 301 Tariffs.................................. 12

Solar and Washing Machine Tariffs ..................................................................................... 13

Antidumping and Countervailing Duties............................................................................. 14

Made-in-the-USA Defense Policies ............................................................................15

Made-in-the-USA Defense Budget Increases .......................................................................... 15

Foreign Military Sales and Arms Transfers.............................................................................. 16

The Jones Act .........................................................................................................18

Summary ...............................................................................................................19
3

Introduction 

Since the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump on January 20th, 2017, the Office of Trade 

and Manufacturing Policy’s mission at the White House has been to help the greatest jobs president

and trade negotiator in history rebuild America’s manufacturing base. Over the past four years, 

this administration has lived by one beautiful phrase – Made in the USA – and two simple rules –

Buy American, Hire American.1

In this report, we’ll take a tour of five critical dimensions of President Trump’s Made in the USA 

strategy. These dimensions include: Buy American government procurement, a wide range of 

Hire American actions, Trump trade negotiations and tariffs, the defense budget and foreign 

military sales, and support for one of the oldest pieces of Buy American legislation, the Jones Act.

Actions across these five Made-in-the-USA dimensions have helped create thousands2 of new 

American jobs while increasing the wages and quality of life of blue-collar Americans.3

By strengthening our Nation’s defense industrial base, President Trump’s Made-in-the-USA 

strategy has also helped enhance our national security.4 As President Trump has said many times,

“economic security IS national security.”5

Let’s begin our tour, then, with Buy American government procurement.
4

Buy American Procurement

Each year, the United States Government spends more than $200 billion dollars of taxpayer funds6

on projects such as roads, bridges, and building construction. Congress has passed numerous bills 

to ensure that when the government spends money on such procurement, the products be made in 

whole or in part in the USA.7 However, numerous loopholes have existed in these laws.

8

Upon taking office, President Trump set out to enforce, strengthen, and expand our Buy American 

procurement policies. To that end, he has signed at least 10 Buy American Executive Orders.

The Buy American, Hire American Executive Orders

Executive Order Policy Name

13788 Buy American and Hire American

13796 Addressing Trade Agreement Violations and Abuses

13806 Assessing/Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base 

and Supply Chain Resiliency of the U.S.

13858 Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects

13873 Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services 

Supply Chain

13881 Maximizing Use of American-Made Goods, Products, and Materials

13920 Securing the United States Bulk-Power System

13921 Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth

13922

Delegating Authority Under DPA to the U.S. International Development 

Finance Corporation to 

Respond to COVID-19 Outbreak

13944 Ensuring Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical 

Inputs are made in the U.S.

For example, one such order signed on April 18th, 2017, makes it more difficult to grant waivers.9 

A second, signed on January 31th, 2019 increases the amount of United States steel required from 

50 percent to 95 percent10 – even as that order extends Buy American’s reach to cover federal 

financial assistance to the states and local governments.11

Several of the President’s Buy American actions also target specific industries. If we have learned 

anything from the China Virus pandemic, it is that the United States is critically dependent on 

foreign countries, particularly Communist China, for our essential medicines as well as for medical 

supplies such as masks, and medical equipment like ventilators.
5

President Trump’s executive order of August 6th, 2020, acts to bring this production back onshore. 

It requires government agencies like the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA), and the Department of Health and Human Services to Buy American when it comes 

to our essential medicines and the medical countermeasures we need to fight crises like the China 

Virus pandemic. 12 

A May 1st, 2020, presidential order addresses a different set of offshoring risks. It prevents

strategic opponents like Communist China from selling bulk power equipment to the U.S. 13 Such 

equipment might be compromised by Chinese malware or corrupted components– thereby putting 

our national electricity grid at risk. 

And Executive Order 13921, signed May 7th, 2020, will be a boon to America’s long-ignored 

commercial fishermen 14 by opening up new markets, removing unnecessary regulations, cracking 

down on the unfair trade practices of countries like China, and streamlining the aquaculture 

permitting process.

Perhaps the best way to gauge the success of the Trump Buy American efforts is to compare the 

amount of domestically procured manufactured goods in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 under the 

Obama-Biden administration to fiscal years 2018 and 2019 under the Trump-Pence administration.

Note here that Fiscal Year 2017 overlaps the two administrations so it is taken out of the 

comparison. 

With this comparison, we see that domestic procurement rose from $332 billion in the ObamaBiden years to $419 billion in the Trump-Pence years, a 26 percent increase.15 Moreover, when 

looking at the dollar value of Buy American waivers,

16 during the same period of time, this 

decreased by 8 percent.

17 
6

Hire American

President Trump is not just the Buy American President. He is the Hire American President. 

Defense Against Cheap Foreign Labor and Visa Reforms

One key Hire American mission has been to hold corporations accountable when they abuse the 

visa process to replace American workers with cheap foreign labor.18 For example, through its 

U.S. Workers Initiative, the Justice Department has reached settlements with numerous companies 

that illegally prioritized temporary visa workers over Americans.

19

At the same time, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has engaged in sweeping actions 

to improve fraud detection in employment-based visa programs.20 More broadly, to protect 

American workers during the China Virus pandemic, President Trump issued a June 2020

proclamation that halts visas for foreign workers through the end of the year.

21

The next month, President Trump’s Department of Labor (DOL) entered into a Memorandum of 

Understanding with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It allows the two 

departments to share immigrant and nonimmigrant petition records and data and marks the first 

time DOL will have access to suspected employer violations within the H-1B visa program. Such 

a Secretary of Labor-certified investigation tool has never been used in the H-1B program since 

Congress granted the authority in 2004.

There is also the ignominious case of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). After TVA

announced the layoff of more than 200 American employees – and told them to prepare to train 

their foreign labor replacements22 – President Trump signed an Executive Order challenging that

decision, and quickly fired TVA Chairman James Thompson and board member Richard 

Howorth.

23 TVA quickly rescinded its decision.

Expanding Apprenticeships and Federal Government Reform

A second key Hire American mission has been the expansion of apprenticeships, which allow 

hard-working Americans to receive salaries as they learn pertinent skills. Since President Trump 

signed a June 2017 Executive Order and made available $183 million in additional funding for 

apprenticeships, the Department of Labor has registered nearly 816,000 people entering 

apprenticeship programs.

24

In July of 2018, President Trump also established the National Council for the American Worker 

to create a national strategy for worker training and retraining across high-demand industries.25 

That same month, the Office of Economic Initiatives created the Pledge to American Workers. To 

date, more than 440 companies and organizations have signed the Pledge. This effort will help 

create more than 16 million new education and training opportunities for American students and 

workers.

26

President Trump has also sought to reform the outdated hiring practices of the Federal Government 

– the largest employer in America. Through a June 2020 Executive Order, President Trump has 

replaced an arbitrary, one-size-fits-all, degree-based hiring process of the Federal Government 

with more skills-based hiring.27 The result: a deeper pool of talented individuals to best serve our 

Nation.
7

Veterans Transition to the Civilian Workforce

President Trump has also gone to great lengths to help our military veterans seamlessly transition

to the civilian labor force. 

On May 5th, 2017, President Trump signed the “Hire VETS Act.” It requires the Secretary of 

Labor to establish a program that recognizes, and thereby incentivizes, employer efforts to recruit, 

employ, and retain veterans. In the second official year of the program, the Department of Labor 

is preparing to award 675 employers this Fall who have proven their commitment to veteran 

employment.

On November 27th, 2017, President Trump signed the “Veteran Apprenticeship and Labor 

Opportunity Reform (VALOR) Act.” It streamlined the multi-state registration process for 

employers who offer apprenticeship programs to veterans certified by the VA. Veterans and 

employers can now more easily benefit from the use of G.I. Bill benefits while veterans pursue an 

apprenticeship. 

On May 9th, 2018, President Trump also signed an Executive Order directing Federal agencies to 

remove barriers to employment of military spouses and “actively advertise and solicit applications 

from military spouses for posted and other agency positions.”

On August 13th 2018, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 

Year 2019. It required significant alterations to the Transition Assistance Program to improve 

employment outcomes for service members transitioning into the civilian workforce. 
8

On March 4th, 2019, President Trump signed an Executive Order that is now helping our sea 

veterans, in services ranging from the Coast Guard and Marines to the Army and Navy, move 

swiftly into the merchant marine.28 This merchant mariner order provides financial assistance to 

cover costly fees associated with merchant mariner credentialing and licensing. It also enables 

veterans to apply their education and experience on military ships toward the mariner credentialing 

curriculum, thereby removing costly barriers to entry that can range as high as $25,000. 

On February 11th, 2020, President Trump signed the “Supporting Veterans in STEM Careers Act.” 

It will make veterans eligible to participate in National Science Foundation programs, extending 

scholarship, fellowship, and grants programs to help veterans leverage their military experience 

and abilities in STEM fields.

These types of executive actions highlight the Administration’s commitment to our military 

veterans in ways that enhance both our economic and national security.

Trade Policy and Tariffs

Let’s turn now to a third dimension of President Trump’s Made in the USA strategy, that of trade 

policy and tariffs. On January 20th, 2017, the Trump-Pence administration inherited a broken 

global trade system in which overseas competitors and predatory foreign governments stole our 

technology, unfairly subsidized national champions, and dumped their products into our markets. 

Politicians like President Bill Clinton29 and then Senator Joe Biden30 helped break the global 

trading system by voting for two of the worst trade deals in American history: the North American 

Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 199431 and China’s 2001 entry into the World Trade 

Organization.32 Over the course of the Bush-Cheney and Obama-Biden administrations, America 

would lose over 70,000 factories and millions of manufacturing jobs to the NAFTA and China 

trade shocks.33

States like North Carolina, with their textile and furniture industries, got hit first and hard.34 Soon, 

the NAFTA and China shocks would ripple across the manufacturing heartland of America – from 

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and beyond.35 In 2016, Candidate 

Trump promised to fix this broken system,36 and his cumulative actions on trade represent one of 

his most important achievements in restoring and reshoring Made-in-the-USA manufacturing. 

Renegotiating Trade Deals

On the trade policy front, President Trump has successfully renegotiated NAFTA, put into place a 

Phase 1 agreement with China, successfully renegotiated a horrific 2011 South Korean deal, signed 

a Japan deal, and withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Let’s look at these actions 

one at a time.

From NAFTA to the USMCA

During the NAFTA debate, propagandists from the globalist-oriented Peterson Institute quite 

wrongly predicted that NAFTA would create 170,000 U.S. jobs37 and that our trade balance with 

Mexico would remain in surplus well into the 2000s.38 Instead, America’s trade deficit with 

Mexico ballooned,

39 as hundreds of thousands of American manufacturing jobs literally went 

South, thereby suppressing the wage growth of blue-collar Americans40 in highly affected 

industries.41
9

During the 2008 presidential campaign, the Obama-Biden ticket promised to renegotiate NAFTA. 

Yet, a mere three months into its first term, the Obama-Biden administration announced it would 

break that promise.

42

In June of 2016,43 Candidate Trump promised to renegotiate NAFTA—and kept that promise with 

passage of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) in record time. 44

USMCA, which entered into full force on July 1st, 2020,45 will be a boon to American 

manufacturing, particularly the auto industry. It increases the North American content required 

for autos and auto parts, along with steel and aluminum, to 75 percent. 46

Under these new USMCA rules, at least three-quarters of autos and trucks qualifying for tariff 

benefits will be made in North America – and much of this production will be made in the USA

because of tough labor and environmental provisions imposed on Mexico.

47,48

The result is forecasted to be 76,000 new jobs in the automotive sector49 alone over the next five 

years, and between 176,000 and 589,000 new American jobs overall.

50,51

Fixing a Flawed KORUS

In 2011, the Obama-Biden administration inked yet another horrific trade agreement, this one with 

South Korea. Known as KORUS, the negotiations with South Korea were spearheaded by then 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 52 

At the time, President Obama predicted the deal would increase U.S. exports to South Korea by 

$10 to $11 billion, and create 70,000 additional U.S. jobs.53 Instead, Korean exports to the U.S.

surged, American exports to South Korea remained stagnant, and the U.S. trade deficit with South 

Korea grew by more than 110 percent, from $13 billion in 2011 to $28 billion by 2017. 54 Contrary 

to the Obama prediction, KORUS would wind up costing the U.S. economy some 80,000 jobs,

while hitting the U.S. auto sector particularly hard.55 In 2016, Candidate Trump promised to 

renegotiate this bad South Korean deal;56 and on September 24th, 2018, he kept that promise. 
10

The revised deal includes steps to open up the South Korean market to increased American exports, 

most notably for automobiles.57 Importantly, the agreement also allows the United States to 

continue imposing a 25 percent tariff on South Korean light trucks and pickups until 204158 – a 

tariff that was previously set to expire in 2021.

59 

If that tariff had been lifted, the result would have been devastating to one of the most profitable 

and robust segments of our auto production.60

The U.S.-Japan Trade Deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership

Now what about the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement signed on October 7th, 2019? It opens up $7 

billion in additional agricultural sales to Japan by eliminating or lowering tariffs on over 90 percent

of the food and agricultural products exported to Japan.

61 

A key feature of this deal is that it neutralizes the damage to American farmers that might otherwise 

have been caused by Japan’s participation in the deeply flawed TPP.

62 Here, it may truly be said 

that sometimes the best trade deal is the one you never sign to begin with. 

In 2016, Candidate Trump promised to withdraw from TPP negotiations.63 This bad deal for 

America was widely marketed by the globalist elites as a strategic counterweight to Communist 

China’s influence in Asia.64 However, President Trump very clearly understood that the TPP 

would have required the U.S. to turn over much of its auto and auto parts sectors to Japan and 

Vietnam, among other nations, in exchange for undefined and uncertain alleged strategic benefits

in the region.65 

That proposed sacrifice of America’s auto industry on the altar of national security was a deal

breaker. As President Trump has said: “Any nation that trades away its prosperity 

for security will end up losing both.”66 

By withdrawing from TPP on his first business day in office,67 President Trump both kept another 

campaign promise, and averted what would have been a terrible economic tragedy.

The Trump Tariffs

Let’s turn now to one of the most critical elements of President Trump’s Made-in-the-USA 

strategy— the use of tariffs to defend American workers from the unfair trading practices of 

foreign competitors.

And let’s start with steel and aluminum tariffs.

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Steel and aluminum together represent the backbone of our bridges, buildings, and public 

infrastructure. 

They are the most central elements of the ships, planes, missiles, bombs, and combat vehicles we 

need to fight back against strategic opponents like China, Russia, and Iran. 

Both steel and aluminum are also crucial to the construction of the office buildings and homes 

where we work and live. 
11

In March of 2018, President Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent

tariff on aluminum imports.

68 With these actions – and the wave of investment that they have 

triggered – the President put an abrupt end to the corrosive decline of our steel and aluminum

industries that occurred over the eight years of the Obama-Biden administration.69 

During the previous administration, steel imports as a percent of total U.S. consumption rose from 

22.7 percent in 2009 to 30.1 percent in 2016.70 As of the end of 2019, that percentage had fallen 

to 24.5 percent.

71 And through the first six months of 2020, we got that down further to 21.8

percent.

72

Similarly, American reliance on imported aluminum rose significantly under the Obama-Biden 

administration. Just from 2015 to 2016, aluminum imports as a share of total U.S. consumption 

jumped from 41 percent to 53 percent.

73 While this trend continued into 2017 as the Trump 

Administration’s Department of Commerce laid the legal groundwork to impose national security 

tariffs, the 2018 tariffs ultimately led to a significant drop in American import reliance for 

aluminum as well – from 59 percent in 2017 to 22 percent in 2019.74

It’s not just that the President’s tariffs have reduced job-killing imports in our steel and aluminum 

industries. These tariffs have also helped induce an unprecedented wave of new investment.

All told, since the imposition of tariffs, steel companies have announced more than 29 additional 

new projects or expansions totaling more than $9.5 billion.75 

Aluminum companies have also announced at least 37 additional new projects or expansions 

totaling more than $4.8 billion.

76 Collectively, these investments will directly create over 4,000 

new good-paying jobs.77
12

Communist China’s Seven Deadly Sins and the Section 301 Tariffs

President Trump has also used tariffs to combat Communist China’s economic aggression and 

Seven Deadly sins78 against American workers. These sins range from cyber-intrusions by Chinese 

government officials to steal American business secrets, intellectual property theft, and forced 

technology transfer, to the dumping of products below cost into our markets, the abuse of stateowned enterprises to bully American companies, and a long history of currency manipulation.79

In July of 2018, under the authority of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, President Donald 

Trump signed a memorandum instructing the United States Trade Representative to begin 

imposing tariffs on China. Today, these tariffs cover more than $360 billion80 worth of Chinese 

products81 and have delivered over $60 billion to the U.S. Treasury.82

As these tariffs were imposed over 15 months, globalist critics and pundits wrung their hands over 

the supposed negative effects.

83 Instead, the U.S. economy continued to strengthen; and after 

reaching a peak in October of 2018, America’s trade deficit with China has been declining.84

Under pressure from the Trump tariffs, Communist China signed a Phase One trade deal on 

January 15th, 2020.85 Besides agreeing to substantive structural changes in the areas of intellectual 

property theft, forced technology transfer, and currency manipulation, China agreed to

significantly increase its purchases of American products and services by at least $200 billion.86

To date, China has made historic purchases of corn, soybeans, pork, beef, and chicken.87
13

Solar and Washing Machine Tariffs

Next, we turn to the President’s use of Section 201 tariffs to protect the American solar and 

washing machine industries. 

From 2012 to 2016, China significantly increased its illegal dumping of solar panels and modules 

into the U.S. market. As Chinese imports soared by 500 percent, prices fell by 60 percent; and 

U.S. solar production fell precipitously.88 By 2017, at least 25 U.S. solar panel and module 

manufacturers were shut down by this Chinese predation.

89

In May of 2017, the U.S. solar industry fought back, as Suniva and SolarWorld, two domestic 

manufacturers, filed a petition to the United States International Trade Commission (ITC)90 for 

relief. After the ITC court ruled in their favor, President Trump approved tariffs on $8.5 billion

worth of solar panel imports, resulting in the creation of over 2,600 U.S. jobs across eight 

factories,91 and the preservation of 1,750 jobs across five factories.92 In addition, the U.S. is now 

home to the two largest solar manufacturers in the Western Hemisphere, First Solar and Hanwha 

Q Cells.93

SECTION 201 TIMELINE

Date Event

May 17, 2017 Solar panel industry requests a Section 201 investigation.

May 31, 2017 Washing machine industry requests a Section 201 investigation.

October 31, 

2017

USITC completes first Section 201 investigation since 2001.

Determines that imports of solar panels have caused injury; recommend 

global safeguard restrictions.

November 

21, 2017

USITC determines that the imports of washing machines have caused 

injury; recommends global safeguard restrictions.

January 22, 

2018

President Trump approves global safeguard tariffs on $8.5 billion of solar 

panel imports and $1.8 billion of washing machine imports.

February 7, 

2018

Solar tariffs take effect (beginning at 30%, and declining by 5% per year).

Washing machine tariffs take effect (a 20% rate for the first 1.2 million units, 

50% on all additional units).

August 17, 

2019 USITC issues midterm review on washing machine tariffs.

February 7, 

2020 USITC issues midterm review on solar panel tariffs.
14

A similar scenario played out in the manufacture of washing machines. After years of fighting the 

illegal dumping of Korean manufacturers, LG and Samsung, America’s Whirlpool Corporation 

won its own case at the ITC. In response, President Trump levied tariffs on $1.8 billion94 worth 

of foreign-made washing machines.95 As a result, Whirlpool has invested millions of additional 

dollars in its domestic manufacturing facilities,96 and the so-called “pride of Clyde, Ohio” and 

additional Whirlpool facilities are booming.97 

That the Trump tariffs are also highly effective at inducing new investment in America by foreign 

companies is underscored by this fact: After the ITC ruling, LG and Samsung both invested in 

large manufacturing facilities in Newberry, South Carolina, and Clarkesville, Tennessee.98 These 

two major multimillion dollar investments have paved the way for the creation of over 1,600 U.S. 

jobs.99

Antidumping and Countervailing Duties

Let’s turn now to a final major use of tariffs by the Trump-Pence administration to defend 

American workers against unfair trade practices - specifically in this case, the use of so-called 

antidumping and countervailing duties.

When products are exported to America and sold at prices below cost or fair value, that’s called 

dumping. The Department of Commerce has the authority to offset this unfair advantage by 

imposing tariffs in the form of antidumping duties. In similar fashion, the Department of 

Commerce may impose countervailing duties to offset any advantage a foreign producer might 

gain from an unfair export subsidy from that producer’s government.

President Trump’s commitment to defending American workers from dumping and unfair 

subsidies is highlighted by the substantially greater numbers of antidumping and countervailing 

duty orders President Trump’s Department of Commerce has issued to date compared to the first 

four years of the Obama-Biden administration.
15

Consider that from 2009 to 2012, the Obama-Biden administration issued 62 antidumping and 

countervailing duty orders.

100 In contrast, the Trump Commerce Department has issued a total of 

188 orders.

101 That’s a 203 percent increase.

Made-in-the-USA Defense Policies

A fourth dimension of President Trump’s Made-in-the-USA strategy, is the president’s strategic

approach to rebuilding the American military. Significant increases in the defense budget have 

translated directly into increased American manufacturing. This is because much of the production 

of America’s defense industry follows very strict Buy American rules. At the same time, President 

Trump’s new, more pro-active approach to foreign military sales to our strategic allies and partners 

has yielded critical economic and national security benefits.

Made-in-the-USA Defense Budget Increases

On the defense budget front, the Obama-Biden administration presided over one of the most 

destructive and sustained cuts in America’s defense budget in our long history. In 2010, that 

defense budget was $690 billion per year. By 2016, it had fallen 16 percent to $580 billion per 

year.

102

This precipitous drop in defense spending not only delivered a harsh blow to the U.S. economy

and the integrity of our defense industrial base, it also resulted in deferred maintenance; “cutbacks 

in flying hours, steaming hours, and other military training;”103 and a broader and significant 

deterioration in America’s combat readiness.

104

From the day he took office, President Trump has led the effort to increase defense spending and 

America’s defense budget now tops more than $700 billion per year.

105 
16

This increased defense spending has had a powerful macroeconomic effect in stimulating jobs and 

growth. For example, the Council of Economic Advisers estimates that the Trump defense budget 

hikes have supported over 1.1 million jobs. They may have a total economic effect as large as 

about a quarter point of GDP growth in each fiscal year.106 At the microeconomic level, these 

positive economic benefits are also visible in very real “Prosperity through Strength”107 success 

stories around America’s manufacturing heartland. 

Consider, for example, the Lima Army Tank Plant in Ohio. The Obama-Biden administration all 

but shuttered that plant. It was down to producing just 3 M1 Abrams tanks per month in 2016 and 

employing just 425 people. 

President Trump infused an additional $6.6 billion into the facility – a 167 percent increase from 

the Obama-Biden years108 – and the plant is now producing 34 tanks per month with over 1,000 

employees.109

Today, as a result of the Trump-Pence defense budget hikes, we are seeing similar combat vehicle 

success stories in manufacturing strongholds like Oshkosh, Wisconsin and York, Pennsylvania.

Consider, too, the Fincantieri Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. It was facing a dim and 

uncertain future until it was recently awarded a contract for the first new major shipbuilding 

program the Navy has begun in more than a decade.

110 This Wisconsin shipyard will be building 

FFG(x) guided missile frigates and Littoral Combat Ships for years to come, while supporting at

least 15,000 new jobs.111

A similar success story has unfolded at the Philadelphia shipyard, which was down to a mere 80 

employees at the end of the Obama-Biden administration. By working with the shipyard 

management and labor representatives, the Trump-Pence team was able to dramatically increase 

the amount of activity at the yard in both repair work and new ship construction; and the future of 

the Philly Shipyard looks bright. The yard should be operating at full industrial capacity through 

at least 2024, while providing jobs to over a thousand workers at the yard and thousands more 

across Pennsylvania and beyond.112

And thanks to President Trump’s investment of nearly $20 billion, 113 Bath Iron Works, Maine’s 

leading shipbuilder with over 6,000 employees, is proudly building the new Zumwalt-class 

destroyers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. 114

Foreign Military Sales and Arms Transfers

It’s not just that the Trump-Pence administration has significantly increased construction of the 

many defense systems we need to protect America and its military forces from foreign adversaries. 

President Trump has also prioritized increased foreign military sales to our strategic allies and 

partners.

This particular part of President Trump’s Made-in-the-USA strategy represents one of the purest 

expressions of his maxim that “economic security is national security.” 

On the economic security front, the sale of items like the M1 Abrams tank,

115 F-16 fighter jet,116

and THAAD missile defense system117 supports tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs and 

supply chains across America.118 Workers of all backgrounds benefit, as these high-paying jobs 

span the spectrum from scientists, engineers, and software designers, to welders, machinists, and 

electricians.
17

On the national security front, every foreign military sale strengthens our alliances and 

partnerships while often reducing the need for American boots on the ground in foreign lands.

At the same time, by sharing American technology, training, and equipment, we improve military 

interoperability across friendly nations, and facilitate collaboration at the highest levels. This is 

happening in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and elsewhere.119

To facilitate foreign military sales, President Trump introduced a new Conventional Arms Transfer 

(CAT) policy early in his term.120 This new CAT policy puts into sharp focus the critical synergies 

between a globally competitive American defense industrial base, a strong domestic economy, and 

a more effective geo-strategic competition with strategic opponents such as China and Russia. The 

policy itself features a much more proactive and collaborative approach to U.S. arms sales; and 

the results have been robust. 

In Fiscal Year 2018 alone, the value of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases implemented by the 

Defense Security Cooperation Agency rose 33 percent to $56 billion as 1,700 FMS cases were 

closed—a 42 percent increase from the previous year.121

Over Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, FMS totaled $111 billion.

122 This represents a 38 percent

increase over the last two complete fiscal years of the Obama-Biden administration and provides 

an incremental addition to America’s work force of more than 130,000 jobs.123 

At a more granular level, the sale, for example, of F-16 fighter jets to countries like Bulgaria, 

Morocco, Slovakia, and Taiwan have helped support the opening of a new F-16 production line in 

Greenville, South Carolina, and the creation of more than 400 new good-paying jobs.124 Of course, 

what happens in Greenville with the F-16 won’t stay in Greenville. F-16 production supports over 

16,000 jobs across 41 states.125
18

The Jones Act 

Let’s end this report with a brief discussion of one of America’s oldest pieces of Buy American 

legislation, the Jones Act. 

Formally known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, the Jones Act requires that any vessel 

transporting merchandise between two points in the United States be built, owned, and crewed by 

American citizens. 

The “built” part of the Jones Act helps ensure America has a robust domestic shipbuilding 

capability, which is a critical element of our defense industrial base.

That Jones Act ships must also be crewed by Americans likewise helps ensure our nation has a 

merchant marine work force sufficient to serve both our commercial and military needs.

Here, it should be noted that merchant mariners represent a mission-critical component of U.S. 

military readiness. During times of conflict, our mariners transport military goods such as tanks, 

helicopters, and troops – often in hostile waters and at great personal risk.

In World War II alone, nearly 10,000 merchant mariners were killed by enemy fire and died at a 

rate of 1 in 26 – a casualty rate higher than any other branch of the U.S. military. 126 Their sacrifice 

and willingness to serve continue to play a vital role in America’s defense.

Unfortunately, as with so many of our domestic industries, American shipbuilders – as well as our 

merchant mariners—have been under siege for decades from unfair foreign competition. 

Countries such as China,

127 South Korea,128 and Japan129 rely on cheap labor, unfair subsidies,

state-backed loans, or a potent and predatory combination of all of these mercantilist tools.

130
19

Communist China, in particular, provides extreme subsidies precisely because shipbuilding is 

critical to national security – the sector is an integral part of the Chinese Communist Party’s “Made 

in China 2025” strategic plan to dominate the global economy. 

A recent report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies estimates the Chinese 

government provided over $130 billion in shipping and shipbuilding subsidies between 2010 and 

2018; this communist nation and strategic opponent of America now controls the world’s second 

largest commercial fleet by gross tons and constructs a third of the world’s ships.131 

In contrast, prior to the Trump-Pence administration, American shipbuilding was in a steep decline 

– as evident in the decrease in shipbuilding jobs from 178,000 in 1980132 to 130,000 in 2016.133

During the eight years of the Obama-Biden administration, the number of U.S. flagged ships 

dropped 22 percent, from 217 in 2009 to a low of 169 at the beginning of the Trump-Pence

administration134 while gross tonnage fell 13 percent, from 7.7 million to 6.7 million.135

The Trump-Pence administration’s strict enforcement of the Jones Act and strong commitment to 

America’s shipyards is helping to turn these downward trends around.136 The number of ships in 

the U.S. flagged fleet has increased nearly 10 percent from the Obama-Biden low of 169 ships to 

184 ships today137 while tonnage has increased to 7.3 million.138

Summary

We have seen over the course of this report that President Trump has not only talked the talk of 

Made-in-the-USA and Buy American, Hire American, from Day One of his administration, he has 

also walked that walk across five strategic dimensions.

The result has been a long overdue renaissance in American manufacturing and a significant 

strengthening of America’s defense industrial base. Economic security is indeed national security.
20

1 President-elect Trump set the tone for his Administration on the Thank You Tour 2016 when he said, “We will have 

two simple rules when it comes to the massive rebuilding effort: buy American and hire American.” 

See also: “President-Elect Donald Trump Victory Rally in Cincinnati, Ohio.” C-SPAN, 1 December 2016. 

https://www.c-span.org/video/?419391-1/president-elect-confirms-jim-mattis-choice-lead-pentagon 2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Commerce, “Current Employment Statistics Highlights,” August 2020. 

https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/ceshighlights.pdf

3 The White House, “The Blue-Collar Labor Boom Reduces Inequality,” 15 January 2020. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/blue-collar-labor-boom-reduces-inequality/ 4 Department of Defense, “Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply 

China Resiliency of the United States,” September 2018. https://media.defense.gov/2018/Oct/05/2002048904/-1/-

1/1/ASSESSING-AND-STRENGTHENING-THE-MANUFACTURING-AND percent20DEFENSEINDUSTRIAL-BASE-AND-SUPPLY-CHAIN-RESILIENCY.PDF 5 The White House, “President Donald J. Trump will Protect American National Security from the Effects of Unfair 

Trade Practices,” 8 March 2018. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-willprotect-american-national-security-effects-unfair-trade-practices/ 6 Data provided from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget. 25 August 2020. 

7 See, for example: 41 U.S.C. §§ 8301 through 8305; P.L. 100-418, Title VII; 102 Stat. 1545, 100th Congress, 2nd 

Session (1988), P.L. 103-355, 108 Stat. 3346-7, 103rd Congress, 2nd Session (1994), P.L. 104-201, § 827, 110 Stat. 

2611 104th Congress, 2nd Session (1996), and P.L. 110-28, Title VIII, § 8306, 121 Stat. 112, 211, 110th Congress, 

1st Session (2007); P.L. 29, ch. 41, 55 Stat. 123, 125, 77th Congress, 1st Sess. (1941); P.L. 111-5, § 1605, 123 Stat.115, 

303, 111th Cong. 1st Sess. (2009).

8 Scott, Robert, “Closing loopholes in Buy American Act could create up to 100,000 U.S. jobs,” Economic Policy 

Institute, 20 November 2015. https://www.epi.org/blog/closing-loopholes-in-buy-american-act-could-create-up-to100000-u-s-jobs/ 9 Executive Order 13788, “Buy American and Hire American,” President Donald J. Trump, 18 April 2017. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/04/21/2017-08311/buy-american-and-hire-american 10 “Executive Order on Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects.” The White House, 31 

January 2019. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-strengthening-buy-americanpreferences-infrastructure-projects/ 11 “Executive Order on Strengthening Buy-American Preferences for Infrastructure Projects.” The White House, 31 

January 2019. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-strengthening-buy-americanpreferences-infrastructure-projects/ 12 Executive Order 13944, “Combating Public Health Emergencies and Strengthening National Security by Ensuring 

Essential Medicines, Medical Countermeasures, and Critical Inputs Are Made in the United States,” President Donald 

J. Trump, 6 August 2020. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/14/2020-18012/combating-publichealth-emergencies-and-strengthening-national-security-by-ensuring-essential 13 Executive Order 13920, “Securing the United States Bulk-Power System,” President Donald J. Trump, 1 May 2020. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/04/2020-09695/securing-the-united-states-bulk-power-system 14 Executive Order 13921, “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth,” President Donald 

J. Trump, 7 May 2020. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/12/2020-10315/promoting-americanseafood-competitiveness-and-economic-growth 15 Data provided from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget. 25 August 2020. 16 Waivers included are “Public Interest,” “Domestic non-availability,” and “Unreasonable cost.” 17 Data provided from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, Office of Management and Budget. 25 August 2020. 18 U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Recognizing Anniversary of Buy American and Hire American 

Executive Order by Reaffirming its Commitment to Fight Discrimination Against U.S. Workers,” Office of Public 

Affairs, April 24, 2020, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-recognizes-anniversary-buy-americanand-hire-american-executive-order

19 U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Recognizing Anniversary of Buy American and Hire American 

Executive Order by Reaffirming its Commitment to Fight Discrimination Against U.S. Workers,” Office of Public 

Affairs, April 24, 2020, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-recognizes-anniversary-buy-americanand-hire-american-executive-order. See also: U.S. Department of Justice, “Justice Department Settles Claim Against 

Maryland Construction Firm for Discriminating Against U.S. Workers,” Office of Public Affairs, March 19, 2020, 

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-settles-claim-against-maryland-construction-firm-discriminatingagainst-us?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

 
21

 20 United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, “2nd Anniversary Buy American and Hire American 

Accomplishments,”https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/guides/OPA_BAHA_Accomplishments_Info

graphic.pdf 21 The White House, “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market 

Following the Coronavirus Outbreak,” June 22, 2020, https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidentialactions/proclamation-suspending-entry-aliens-present-risk-u-s-labor-market-following-coronavirus-outbreak/ 22 Cohen, Rachel, “Despite skyrocketing unemployment, Tennessee Valley Authority plans to outsource hundreds of 

federal jobs to overseas companies,” The Intercept, 5 May 2020. https://theintercept.com/2020/05/05/tennesseevalley-authority-outsource-jobs-unemployment/ 23 Shear, Michael, “Trump Dismisses 2 T.V.A. Board Members After Outsourcing Dispute,” New York Times, 3 

August 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/03/us/politics/trump-tennessee-valley-authority.html 24 U.S. Department of Labor, “National Apprenticeship Data,” Data and Statistics, 

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics

25 Executive Order 13845, “Establishing the President’s National Council for the American Worker,” President Donald 

J. Trump, 19 July 2020. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/07/24/2018-15955/establishing-thepresidents-national-council-for-the-american-worker 26 “Pledge to America’s Workers,” The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/pledge-to-americas-workers/ 27 “President Donald J. Trump is Reforming and Modernizing the Federal Hiring Process,” The White House, 26 June 

2020. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-j-trump-reforming-modernizing-federalhiring-process/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= 28 Executive Order 13860, “Supporting the Transition of Active Duty Service Members and Military Veterans Into 

the Merchant Marine,” President Donald J. Trump, 4 March 2020. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/03/07/2019-04298/supporting-the-transition-of-active-dutyservice-members-and-military-veterans-into-the-merchant

29 Scott, Robert, “The High Cost of the China-WTO Deal,” Economic Policy Institute, 1 February 2000. 

https://www.epi.org/publication/issuebriefs_ib137/

30 Voting record of Joseph Biden Jr. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/joseph_biden/300008 31 Government of Canada, “CUSMA: Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement,” 

https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/cusmaaceum/index.aspx?lang=eng#:~:text=The percent20North percent20American percent20Free percent20Trade

percent20Agreement percent20(NAFTA) percent2C percent20signed percent20by,of percent20all percent20three

percent20member percent20countries. 32 “China and the WTO,” World Trade Organization, https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/china_e.htm 33 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject,” 22 September 2020. 

https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES3000000001?amp

percent253bdata_tool=XGtable&output_view=data&include_graphs=true 34 U.S. 116th Congress, Senate Hearing 106-80, “Trade Versus Aid: NAFTA Five Years Later,” 13 April 1999. 

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-106shrg56855/html/CHRG-106shrg56855.htm 35 Scott, Robert, “The high price of ‘free’ trade: NAFTA’s failure has cost the United States jobs across the nation,” 

Economic Policy Institute, 17 November 2003. https://www.epi.org/publication/briefingpapers_bp147/ 36 “President-Elect Donald Trump Victory Rally in Cincinnati, Ohio.” C-SPAN, 1 December 2016. https://www.cspan.org/video/?419391-1/president-elect-confirms-jim-mattis-choice-lead-pentagon 37 Peterson Institute for International Economics, “NAFTA 20 Years Later,” PIIE Briefing No. 14-3, November 2014.

https://www.piie.com/publications/briefings/piieb14-3.pdf 38 Hufbauer, Gary Clyde and Jeffrey J. Schott, “Correcting the Record on NAFTA,” Peterson Institute for International 

Economics, 15 May 2017. https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-investment-policy-watch/correcting-record-nafta

39 U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, “Trade in goods with Mexico,” https://www.census.gov/foreigntrade/balance/c2010.html

40 Shushanik Hakobyan and John McLaren, “Looking for Local Labor Market Effects of NAFTA,” Review of

Economics and Statistics, vol. 98, no. 4, October 2016. 

The figure of 1.3 million comes from a calculation supplied by professors McLaren and Hakobyan to the authors from 

their analysis.

41 Chatzky, Andrew, James McBride, and Mohammad Aly Sergie, “NAFTA and the USMCA: Weighing the Impact 

of North American Trade,” Council on Foreign Relations, 1 July 2020. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/naftaseconomic-impact
22

 42 Knowlton, Brian, “Obama Doesn’t Plan to Reopen Nafta Talks,” New York Times, 20 April 2009. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/business/21nafta.html See also: Cillizza, Chris, “10 years ago today Obama 

made a huge promise. He didn’t keep it.” The Washington Post, 17 January 2017. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/17/the-one-big-promise-president-obama-couldnt-keep/ 43 Stephenson, Emily and Amanda Becker, “Trump vows to reopen, or toss, NAFTA pact with Canada and Mexico,” 

Reuters, 28 June 2016. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election/trump-vows-to-reopen-or-toss-nafta-pactwith-canada-and-mexico-idUSKCN0ZE0Z0 44 “Promises Made, Promises Kept!” Donald J. trump for President, Inc. https://www.promiseskept.com/ 45 United States Customs and Border Protection, “U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” 

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/USMCA#:~:text=Entry

percent2Dinto percent20Force,force percent20on percent20July percent201 percent2C percent202020. 46 United States Trade Representative, “USMCA Trade Fact Sheet Rebalancing Trade to Support Manufacturing,” 

https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement/factsheets/rebalancing#:~:text=This percent20deal percent20encourages percent20United percent20States,The

percent20rules percent20will percent3A&text=Close percent20gaps percent20in percent20the percent20current,in

percent20automobile percent20and percent20parts percent20production. 47 United States Trade Representative, “USMCA Fact Sheet: Environment,” 

https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/USMCA/USMCA_Environment.pdf

48 United States Trade Representative, “USMCA Fact Sheet: Automobiles and Automotive Parts,” 

https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/USMCA/USMCA-Autos_and_Auto_Parts.pdf

49 The White House, “USMCA Will Boost Economic Growth and Create Jobs,” 23 April 2019. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/usmca-will-boost-economic-growth-create-jobs/ 50 Lighthizer, Robert, “USMCA, replacing NAFTA today, is the model for all future trade agreements,” TRIB Live, 

1 July 2020. https://triblive.com/opinion/robert-lighthizer-usmca-replacing-nafta-today-is-the-model-for-all-futuretrade-agreements/ 51 United States Trade Representative, “Ambassador Lighthizer Issues Statement on House Passage of the USMCA,”

19 December 2019. https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2019/december/ambassadorlighthizer-issues-statement-house-passage-usmca 52 Adler, Stephen, Jeff Mason, and Steve Holland, “Exclusive: Trump vows to fix or scrap South Korea trade deal, 

wants missile system payment,” Reuters, 27 April 2017. https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-trumpsouthkorea/exclusive-trump-vows-to-fix-or-scrap-south-korea-trade-deal-wants-missile-system-paymentidINKBN17U0B2

53 Scott, Robert, “U.S.-Korea trade deal resulted in growing trade deficits and more than 95,000 lost U.S. jobs,” 

Economic Policy Institute, 5 May 2016. https://www.epi.org/blog/u-s-korea-trade-deal-resulted-in-growing-tradedeficits-and-more-than-95000-lost-u-s-jobs/ 54 U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, “Trade in Goods with South Korea,” 

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5800.html 55 Ferry, Jeff, “It’s Time to Amend or Discard U.S.-Korean Trade Agreement,” Coalition for a Prosperous America, 

3 July 2017. https://www.prosperousamerica.org/it_s_time_to_amend_or_discard_u_s_korean_trade_agreement 56 The White House, “President Donald J. Trump is Fulfilling His Promise on the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement 

and on National Security,” 28 March 2018. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-jtrump-fulfilling-promise-u-s-korea-free-trade-agreement-national-security/ 57 The White House, “President Donald J. Trump is Fulfilling His Promise on the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement 

and on National Security,” 28 March 2018. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-jtrump-fulfilling-promise-u-s-korea-free-trade-agreement-national-security/ 58 The White House, “President Donald J. Trump is Fulfilling His Promise on the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement 

and on National Security,” 28 March 2018. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-jtrump-fulfilling-promise-u-s-korea-free-trade-agreement-national-security/

59 The White House, “President Donald J. Trump is Fulfilling His Promise on the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement 

and on National Security,” 28 March 2018. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/president-donald-jtrump-fulfilling-promise-u-s-korea-free-trade-agreement-national-security/ 60 U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, “Trade in Goods with South Korea,” 

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5800.html 61 United States Trade Representative, “FACT SHEET on U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement,” September 2019. H 62 “Lighthizer: Japan deal centered on agriculture, industrial tariffs, digital trade,” World Trade Online, 25 August 

2019. https://insidetrade.com/trade/lighthizer-japan-deal-centered-agriculture-industrial-tariffs-digital-trade
23

 63 Woodall, Candy, “Trump’s biggest promises in Pa.: Can he keep them,” PennLive, 15 December 2016. 

https://www.pennlive.com/nation-world/2016/12/trumps_biggest_promises_in_pa.html 64 United States Trade Representative, “Cross Post: President Obama: The TPP would let America, not China, lead 

the way on global trade,” President Barack Obama, 3 May 2016. https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/pressoffice/press-releases/2016/may/cross-post-president-obama-tpp-would 65 “TPP rule of origin is 45 percent for vehicles, with caveats; 35-45 percent for auto parts,” bilaterals.org, 7 October 

2015. https://www.bilaterals.org/?tpp-rule-of-origin-is-45-for#:~:text=The percent20final percent20Trans

percent2DPacific percent20Partnership,45 percent20percent percent20for percent20auto percent20parts percent2C –

The TPP would have lowered rules of origin number to below 50 percent from 62.5 percent in NAFTA, hurting 

American manufacturers. 

66 The White House, “Remarks by President Trump on the Administration’s National Security Strategy,” 18 December 

2017. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-administrations-national-securitystrategy/

67 The White House, “Presidential memorandum Regarding Withdrawal of the United States form the Trans-Pacific 

Partnership Negotiations and Agreement,” President Donald J. Trump, 23 January 2017, 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-memorandum-regarding-withdrawal-united-statestrans-pacific-partnership-negotiations-agreement/ 68 “Escalating U.S. Tariffs: Timeline,” Congressional Research Service, 29 January 2020. 

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IN10943.pdf 69 Atkinson, Robert D., et. al, “Worse Than the Great Depression: What Experts Are Missing About American 

Manufacturing Debate,” The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, March 2012. 

http://www2.itif.org/2012-american-manufacturing-decline.pdf 70 U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “Steel Imports Report: United States,” page 5, 

May 2020. https://legacy.trade.gov/steel/countries/pdfs/imports-us.pdf 71 U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “Steel Imports Report: United States,” page 5, 

May 2020. https://legacy.trade.gov/steel/countries/pdfs/imports-us.pdf 72 U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “Steel Imports Report: United States,” page 5, 

May 2020. https://legacy.trade.gov/steel/countries/pdfs/imports-us.pdf. See Also, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

International Trade Administration, “Steel Industry Executive Summary: August 2020,” page 2, August 2020. 

https://enforcement.trade.gov/steel/license/documents/execsumm.pdf

73 U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, “Aluminum,” January 2020. 

https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2020/mcs2020-aluminum.pdf 74 U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, “Aluminum,” January 2020. 

https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2020/mcs2020-aluminum.pdf 75 Full list of corporate investments and tabulations available upon request. 76 Full list of corporate investments and tabulations available upon request. 77 Full list of corporate investments and tabulations available upon request. 78 Budryk, Zack, “China must end ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ to stop trade war,” The Hill, 4 August 2019. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/456092-top-aide-names-seven-deadly-sins-china-must-end-tostop-trade-war 79 Budryk, Zack, “China must end ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ to stop trade war,” The Hill, 4 August 2019. 

https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/456092-top-aide-names-seven-deadly-sins-china-must-end-tostop-trade-war 80 Brown, Chad, “Trymp’s Fall 2019 China Traiff Plpan: five Things You Need to Know,” Peterson Institute for 

International Economics, 14 August 2019. https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-and-investment-policy-watch/trumpsfall-2019-china-tariff-plan-five-things-you-need-know 81 Congressional Research Services, “Enforcing U.S. Trade Laws: Section 301 and China,” 26 June 2019. 

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/row/IF10708.pdf

82 U.S. Trade Data provided by U.S. CBP. 83 See, for example, Barro, Josh, “Trump’s Tariffs Only Work if Americans Pay Them,” The New Yorker, May 13, 

2019. http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/05/trumps-china-tariffs-only-work-if-americans-pay-them.html; 

Papenfuss, Mary, “Trump Finally Switches Up His Lie That China Pays Tariffs To The U.S. Treasury,” Huffington 

Post, May 13, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tariffs-lie-china_n_5cd9ef47e4b073aa0b32527c

Rosalsky, Greg, “More Tariffs on China, More Head Scratching from Economists,” NPR. May 21, 2019. 

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2019/05/21/725135293/more-tariffs-on-china-more-head-scratching-fromeconomists
24

 Mashayekhi, Rey, “Trump Tariffs Will Hurt Lower Income Americans Above All: Economists,” Fortune. May 31, 

2019. http://fortune.com/2019/05/31/trump-tariffs-will-hurt-lower-income-americans-above-all-economists/ 84 U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, “Trade in Goods with China,” 

https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5700.html

Note that there have been some short-term increases to the trade deficit, due on part to seasonal trends, efforts by 

importers to rush in new shipments before additional rounds of tariffs, and, most recently, due to the temporary 

economic shutdown that was imposed in response to the Chinese coronavirus.

85 Brown, Chad and Melina Kolb, “Trump’s Trade War Timeline: An Up-to-Date Guide,” Peterson Institute for 

International Economics, 15 September 2020. https://www.piie.com/sites/default/files/documents/trump-trade-wartimeline.pdf 86 United States Trade Representative, “Economic and Trade Agreement Between the Government of the United States 

of America and the Government of the People’s Republic of China,” January 2020. 

https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/agreements/phase percent20one

percent20agreement/Economic_And_Trade_Agreement_Between_The_United_States_And_China_Text.pdf 87 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, “USDA and USTR Announce Continued Progress 

on Implementation of U.S.-China Phase One Agreement,” 21 May 2020. https://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/usdaand-ustr-announce-continued-progress-implementation-us-china-phase-one-agreement-0 88 United States Trade Representative, “Section 201 cases: Imported Large Residential Washing Machines and 

Imported Solar Cells and Modules,”| https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/201 percent20Cases

percent20Fact percent20Sheet.pdf

89 United States Trade Representative, “Section 201 cases: Imported Large Residential Washing Machines and 

Imported Solar Cells and Modules,”| https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/201 percent20Cases

percent20Fact percent20Sheet.pdf

90 United States Trade Representative, “Section 201 cases: Imported Large Residential Washing Machines and 

Imported Solar Cells and Modules,”| https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/201 percent20Cases

percent20Fact percent20Sheet.pdf

91 “Grand Opening of Hanwha Q CELLS in Georgia Spotlights Western Hemisphere’s Largest Solar Panel 

Manufacturing Facility, Responsible for 650 Jobs and a Daily Output of 12,000 Solar Modules,” Hanwha, 2 October 

2019. https://www.hanwha.com/en/news_and_media/press_release/grand-opening-of-hanwha-q-cells-in-georgiaspotlights-western-hemispheres-largest-solar-panel-manufacturing-facility-responsible-for-650-jobs-and-a-dailyoutput-of-12000-solar-modules.html

“First Solar Announces New U.S. Manufacturing Plant,” First Solar, 26 April 2018. 

https://investor.firstsolar.com/news/press-release-details/2018/First-Solar-Announces-New-US-ManufacturingPlant/default.aspx#:~:text=(Nasdaq percent3AFSLR) percent20today percent20announced,film

percent20photovoltaic percent20(PV) percent20module.

Underwood, Jerry, “LG Electronics to open Alabama solar panel plant, creating 160 jobs,” Made in Alabama, 27 June 

2018. https://www.madeinalabama.com/2018/06/lg-electronics-to-open-alabama-solar-panel-plant-creating-160-

jobs/

Roselund, Christian, “Heliene retools its Minnesota module factory,” pv magazine, 23 July 2018. https://pv-magazineusa.com/2018/07/23/heliene-retools-its-minnesota-module-factory/

Rogers, Tania, “SolarTech Universal in Riviera Beach adding more jobs,” WPTV News, 13 December 2017. 

https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/riviera-beach/solartech-universal-in-riviera-beach-addingmore-jobs

Gallagher, Dave, “Major investment could mean 40 more jobs for Bellingham waterfront manufacturer,” The 

Bellingham Herald, 19 February 2020. https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/business/article240431396.html

Andorka, Frank, “Jacksonville, Florida, approves $23 million incentive package for Jinko Solar,” pv magazine, 24 

January 2018. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2018/01/24/jacksonville-florida-approves-23-million-incentive-packagefor-jinko-solar/

Pickerel, Kelly, “Violet Power to bring American solar cell and panel manufacturing to Washington by end of 2021,” 

Solar Power World, 9 September 2020. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/09/violet-power-to-bringamerican-solar-cell-and-panel-manufacturing-to-washington-by-end-of-2021/

92 Rogoway, Mike, “SolarWorld’s sale saves hundreds of Hillsboro jobs,” The Oregonian, 18 April 2018. 

https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2018/04/solarworlds_sale_could_save_hu.html

Rogers, Debbie “What Happens When 2,000 jobs are filled in Wood County?” 12 November 2019. https://www.senttrib.com/news/what-happens-when-2-000-jobs-are-filled-in-wood-county/article_277c9736-055c-11ea-94dedb298f5cd74f.html
25

 Osborne, Mark, “China Sunergy to begin solar module production in Sacramento, California,” PV tech, 14 February 

2017. https://www.pv-tech.org/news/china-sunergy-to-begin-solar-module-production-in-sacramento-california

93 Sylvia, Tim, “Q Cells takes top share of the US distributed solar module market,” pv magazine, 27 April 2020. 

https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2020/04/27/q-cells-takes-top-share-of-the-us-distributed-solar-module-market/

94 Brown, Chad, and Junie Joseph, “Solar and Washing Machine Safeguards in Context: The History of US Section 

201 Use,” Peterson Institute for International Economics, 31 October 2017. https://www.piie.com/blogs/trade-andinvestment-policy-watch/solar-and-washing-machine-safeguards-context-history-us

95 United States Trade Representative, “Section 201 cases: Imported Large Residential Washing Machines and 

Imported Solar Cells and Modules,” https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/Press/fs/201 percent20Cases

percent20Fact percent20Sheet.pdf 96 Shoup, Craig, “New import tariffs bring 200 jobs to Clyde Whirlpool,” Fremont News Messenger, 23 January 2018. 

https://www.thenews-messenger.com/story/money/companies/locally-in-business/2018/01/23/new-import-tariffsbring-200-jobs-clyde-whirlpool/1056903001/

“Whirlpool Opens 800,000 Square Foot Expansion,” Assembly News, 11 March 2020. 

https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/95521-whirlpool-opens-800000-square-foot-expansion

Navera, Tristan, “Whirlpool confirms it’s adding 400 jobs in Greenville,” Dayton Business Journal,

https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/print-edition/2014/03/21/whirlpool-confirms-it-s-adding-400-jobs-in.html 97 Shoup, Craig, “New import tariffs bring 200 jobs to Clyde Whirlpool,” Fremont News Messenger, 23 January 2018. 

https://www.thenews-messenger.com/story/money/companies/locally-in-business/2018/01/23/new-import-tariffsbring-200-jobs-clyde-whirlpool/1056903001/

“Whirlpool Opens 800,000 Square Foot Expansion,” Assembly News, 11 March 2020. 

https://www.assemblymag.com/articles/95521-whirlpool-opens-800000-square-foot-expansion

Navera, Tristan, “Whirlpool confirms it’s adding 400 jobs in Greenville,” Dayton Business Journal,

https://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/print-edition/2014/03/21/whirlpool-confirms-it-s-adding-400-jobs-in.html

98 “LG Electronics to Build U.S. Factory for Home Appliances in Tennessee,” LG Company, 28 February 2017. 

https://www.lg.com/us/press-release/lg-electronics-to-build-us-factory-for-home-appliances-in-tennessee

“Samsung Celebrates a Year of Success in South Carolina,” Samsung Newsroom, 29 June 2018. 

https://news.samsung.com/us/year-success-south-carolina/ 99 “LG Electronics to Build U.S. Factory for Home Appliances in Tennessee,” LG Company, 28 February 2017. 

https://www.lg.com/us/press-release/lg-electronics-to-build-us-factory-for-home-appliances-in-tennessee

“Samsung Celebrates a Year of Success in South Carolina,” Samsung Newsroom, 29 June 2018. 

https://news.samsung.com/us/year-success-south-carolina/ 100 Data provided by the International Trade Administration within the Department of Commerce. 101 U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “U.S. Department of Commerce Issues 

Affirmative Preliminary Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation of Prestressed Concrete Steel Wire 

Strand from Turkey,” 15 September 2020. https://www.trade.gov/press-release/us-department-commerce-issuesaffirmative-preliminary-determination-countervailing-6 102 Department of Defense appropriations data. Available upon request. 103 Senate Hearing 113-173, “Hearing before the Committee on Armed Services,” 12 February 2013. 

govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-113shrg86707/html/CHRG-113shrg86707.htm 104 Ferdinando, Lisa, “Sequestration Poses Biggest Threat to Readiness, Military Leaders Say,” U.S. Department of 

Defense, 15 march 2016. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/694480/sequestration-posesbiggest-threat-to-readiness-military-leaders-say/ 105 Department of Defense appropriations data. Available upon request. 106 Council of Economic Advisors internal estimation. 107 Minninger, Robert, “President Trump has been busy making peace in the world,” PennLive, 21 September 2020. 

https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2020/09/president-trump-has-been-busy-making-peace-in-the-world-pennliveletters.html

108 Department of Defense appropriations data. Available upon request.

109 Eran Hami, “Employment is up and increasing at the Lima Tank Plant,” Hometown Stations, March 9, 2020, 

https://www.hometownstations.com/news/employment-is-up-and-increasing-at-the-lima-tankplant/article_e5338e24-624a-11ea-8156-d7946d9236e3.html See also: LimaOhio.com, “Tank plant, JSMC over the 

years,” March 20, 2019, https://www.limaohio.com/news/347012/tank-plant-jsmc-over-the-years 110 Ibid. See also: Megan Eckstein, “Fincantieri Wins $795M Contract for Navy Frigate Program,” USNI News, April 

30, 2020, https://news.usni.org/2020/04/30/fincantieri-wins-795m-contract-for-navy-frigate-program
26

 111 Anthony Dabruzzi, “President Trump Touts Job Creation During Visit to Fincantieri Marinette Marine,” Spectrum 

News 1, June 26, 2020, https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/politics/2020/06/26/president-trump-touts-jobcreation-during-visit-to-fincantieri-marinette-marine 112 David Larter, “Philadelphia shipyard to build new dual-use merchant mariner training ships,” Defense News, April 

14, 2020, https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/04/14/philadelphia-shipyard-tapped-to-build-new-merchantmarine-training-ships/ 113 Department of Defense appropriations data. Available upon request. 114 WGMI, “’Enough is enough:’ Largest Bath Iron Works union goes on strike,” June 22, 2020, 

https://wgme.com/news/local/enough-is-enough-largest-bath-iron-works-union-goes-on-strike#:~:text=The

percent20machinists percent20Local percent20S6 percent20union,4 percent2C000 percent20Bath percent20Iron

percent20Works percent20employees

See also: Darren Fishell, “Bath Iron Works’ pain will be felt all over Maine,” Bangor Daily News, September 16, 

2016, https://bangordailynews.com/2016/09/16/news/bath-iron-works-pain-will-be-felt-all-over-maine/ 115 “Egypt Cleared to Buy 60,500 Tank Rounds from General Dynamics” 18 September 2018. 

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2018/09/18/egypt-cleared-60500-tank-rounds-general-dynamics/ 116 “Contracts for August 14, 2020” U.S. Department of Defense, 

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2313931/

117 “Contracts for August 14, 2020” U.S. Department of Defense, 

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2313931/

118“Databases, Tables, & Calculator by Subject” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 22 September 2020. 

https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES3000000001

119 “The DOD Should Strengthen Oversight of Its Growing Transportation Account Balances,” Governmant 

Accountability Office, September 2019. https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/701631.pdf 120 “National Security Presidential Memorandum Regarding U.S. Conventional Arms Transfer Policy,” The White 

House, 19 April, 2018 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/national-security-presidential-memorandumregarding-u-s-conventional-arms-transfer-policy/ 121 Foreign Military Sales Job Creation Internal Analysis, Council of Economic Advisers, 17. September 2020. 122 Foreign Military Sales Data, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, 11 September, 2020. 123 Foreign Military Sales Job Creation Internal Analysis, Council of Economic Advisers, 17. September 2020. 124 “Why It Matters That Lockheed Martin is Set to Launch Production of F-16s in Greenville,” Greenville News, 23 

April 2019. https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/money/2019/04/23/up-400-jobs-lockheed-martin-ready-make-f16-s-greenville-sc/3509180002/ 125 Economic And Workforce Impact, Lockheed Martin, https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-weare/economic-and-workforce-impact.html 126 “U.S. Merchant Marine Casualties During World War II,” American Merchant Marine at War, 26 October, 2006. 

http://www.usmm.org/casualty.html

127 Blanchette, Jude, et al. “Hidden Harbors: China’s State-backed Shipping Industry.” Center for Strategic and 

International Studies, 8 July 2020. https://www.csis.org/analysis/hidden-harbors-chinas-state-backed-shippingindustry

128 Blenkey, Nick. “Shipbuilding subsidies: Japan seeks WTO talks with South Korea.” Marine Log, 3 February 2020. 

https://www.marinelog.com/news/shipbuilding-subsidies-japan-seeks-wto-talks-with-south-korea/

129 Klein, Aaron. “Decline in U.S. Shipbuilding Industry: A Cautionary Tale of Foreign Subsidies Destroying U.S. 

Jobs.” Eno Center for Transportation, 1 September 2015. https://www.enotrans.org/article/decline-u-s-shipbuildingindustry-cautionary-tale-foreign-subsidies-destroying-u-s-jobs/ 130 Buzby, Mark. “U.S. Maritime and Shipbuilding Industries: Strategies to Improve Regulation, Economic 

Opportunities and Competitiveness.” U.S Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration, 6 March 2019. 

https://www.transportation.gov/testimony/us-maritime-and-shipbuilding-industries-strategies-improve-regulationeconomic

131 https://www.csis.org/analysis/hidden-harbors-chinas-state-backed-shipping-industry#:~:text=Combined

percent20state percent20support percent20to percent20Chinese,direct percent20subsidies percent20( percent245

percent20billion). 132 “National Security Assessment of the U.S Shipbuilding and Repair Industry.” U.S. Department of Commerce, May 

2001. https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/documents/technology-evaluation/56-national-security-assessment-of-theu-s-shipbuilding-and-repair-industry-2001/file 133 “2016 Annual Survey of Manufactures (ASM): Tables.” U.S. Department of Commerce, December 2017. 

https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2016/econ/asm/2016-asm.html
27

 134 “Summary Tables: United States Flag Privately-Owned Merchant Fleet.” U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Maritime Administration, 10 August 2020. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/oictures/US-fleet

percent20Summary percent20Table-2000-2019.pdf 135 “United States‐Flag Privately‐Owned Merchant Fleet Report.” U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime 

Administration, 15 July 2020. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2020-07/DS_USFlagFleet_20200715_Bundle.pdf

136 Data provided by MARAD within the Department of Transportation. Top line data available upon request. 137 “United States‐Flag Privately‐Owned Merchant Fleet Report.” U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime 

Administration, 15 July 2020. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/2020-07/DS_USFlagFleet_20200715_Bundle.pdf

138 “Summary Tables: United States Flag Privately-Owned Merchant Fleet.” U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Maritime Administration, 10 August 2020. https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/oictures/US-fleet

percent20Summary percent20Table-2000-2019.pdf