Trump’s 'stupid' obsession with manufacturing makes no sense: report

Eduardo Porter reports that President Trump's dedication to US manufacturing is a "pointless delusion", with objectives to increase manufacturing not even working politically, as seen in the 2016 and 2024 elections, where job losses in big manufacturing counties did not push voters toward Trump.
Trump's tariffs on imports, aimed at boosting US manufacturing, are ineffective as over 91% of manufacturers use imported components, making domestic firms less competitive, with manufacturing output remaining at roughly the same level as 20 years ago, according to Porter.
Despite Biden's efforts to grow the manufacturing sector through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Chips and Science Act, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, manufacturing jobs show no sign of revival, with Porter arguing that a valid case exists for nurturing specific industries like advanced semiconductors and energy technologies, rather than trying to restore manufacturing to its past glory.