Manufacturing Is Collapsing Under Trump

Thursday, January 08, 2026

"It's not just that American manufacturing under President Donald Trump is shrinking," argued journalist David Shuster on his Blue Amp Substack. "It's that U.S. manufacturing is shrinking under a lunatic who never tires of boasting that he alone can make U.S. manufacturing great again."

Posted by reinheitsgebot at 06:32 PM | 11 COMMENTS | permalink

Protectionism is failing to revive manufacturing

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-- The Economist (@economist.com) Jan 8, 2026 at 7:50 AM

Comments

... Shuster observed that U.S. manufacturing actually grew under Biden. "Output climbed to record levels. Investment poured into factories, supply chains stabilized following the Covid hurdles, and the dull, unglamorous business of making things regained a measure of dignity. The boost in U.S. manufacturing was achieved not with chest-thumping speeches or tariff tantrums, but with policies designed for the real world -- predictability, infrastructure, and a government that did not wake up each morning looking for a trade war to fight," Shuster wrote. ...

In that comment, my guess is that "predictability" is very important.

Why would companies want to make multi-year, approaching decade-long, investments when Pres Trump has shown time and time again that he will change his monetary policy on a whim on a week by week, even day by day, basis?

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-07 02:31 AM

... It's that U.S. manufacturing is shrinking under a lunatic who never tires of boasting that he alone can make U.S. manufacturing great again ...

Things, and uncertainty, such as the following do not help US manufacturing.

Tariffs and low stocks propel aluminium costs to records for US consumers
www.reuters.com

... Aluminium consumers in the United States are paying record high prices, significantly above the level import levies and transport costs would warrant, as tight supplies globally aggravate the impact of tariffs and low U.S. inventories.

Needed by industries such as automotive, aerospace, packaging and construction, aluminium prices have knock-on effects for the wider economy as they raise manufacturing costs, squeeze margins and ultimately drive inflation.

President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on U.S. aluminium imports to 50% in June to encourage investment in local production.

Since then aluminium costs for U.S. consumers have risen by 40% to above $5,200 a metric ton. ...