Keeping in line with the "America First" theme of Trump's 2016 campaign and presidential inauguration, President Trump is launching a "Made In America" week starting Monday.
The purpose of the weeklong campaign is to promote products made in the U.S., beginning with a "Made in America product showcase," which will feature items manufactured in each of the 50 states. Trump will follow up these events with remarks on the importance of American-made products on Wednesday, along with the commission of a new aircraft carrier, the Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford.
"This week the Trump administration will honor the amazing American workers and companies who have products that are made in America," Helen Aguirre Ferré, the White House’s director of media affairs, told reporters on Sunday.
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The statement echoes Trump's inauguration speech, during which he declared, "We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs."
He added, "We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American."
However, as a businessman, Trump barely followed the "Made in America" formula, instead outsourcing the manufacturing of many Trump products to places like China, Mexico, and India. (It's not only him, either. Products from Ivanka Trump's eponymous brand and Melania Trump's jewelry line have also been outsourced.)
Here are some examples of Trump products that wouldn't make the cut for "Made in America" week.
- A crystal and china collection in the Trump Home by Rogaska collection was made in Slovenia.
- The defunct Trump Vodka was distilled in the Netherlands.
- A "Trump National Golf Club" blue cotton cap sold at Trump Tower was manufactured in Bangladesh.
- The ties in his apparel collection have been made in Indonesia, Vietnam, and China.
- Some of the suits in his Donald J. Trump Signature Collection are made in Mexico.
- A trademark registration shows products in the Trump Home collection such as bookcases, picture frames, and wardrobes were made in India.
- Pens, towels, and bathrobes at Trump hotels are made in China.
- The Trump Home's mirrors and chandeliers are manufactured in China.
- Components for furniture piece such as beds and dining tables in the Trump by Dorya line were made in Germany and Turkey.
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An August 2016 report by The Washington Post shows that the list of Trump products manufactured overseas goes well past the 15 products outlined above. And it doesn't seem the family will change its practices: When asked whether "Made in America" week would be used to bring the production of Ivanka Trump's clothing line back to the United States, a White House spokesperson declined to provide an answer.
If Trump decided to display some of his products as part of the "Made in America" showcase, he wouldn't need a lot of space. He would only be able to highlight his hallmark "Make America Great Again" hats, Trump Hotel bedding, Trump Natural Spring Water, and the "Success by Trump" cologne.
That's not a lot for someone who paved his way to the White House by preaching "America first."
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