Morristown, NJ (May 25) – President Donald Trump affirmed that his administration’s aggressive tariff policy is designed to strengthen America’s high-value manufacturing sectors—such as military equipment, semiconductors, and AI hardware—rather than low-cost consumer goods like sneakers and T-shirts.
Speaking to reporters at Morristown Municipal Airport before boarding Air Force One, Trump backed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s April 29 statement that “the U.S. does not necessarily need a booming textile industry,” a remark which spurred criticism from the National Council of Textile Organizations.
“We’re not looking to make sneakers and T-shirts. We want to make military equipment. We want to make big things,” Trump said.
“I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. We can do that very well in other locations. We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things, and tanks and ships.”
Under Trump’s trade-cum-national-security agenda, a 50% tariff on European Union imports takes effect June 1, and he has threatened a 25% levy on all imported iPhones sold in the U.S. The president insists these measures will create “higher-value American jobs” and secure critical technologies within U.S. borders.
Critics warn that steep duties risk provoking retaliatory tariffs from key allies—potentially curbing market access for U.S. exporters, disrupting global supply chains, and increasing costs for American businesses and consumers.
Supporters counter that offshoring low-margin goods like apparel has hollowed out the U.S. industrial base. They argue Trump’s tariffs will incentivize investment in advanced domestic factories, revitalizing strategic sectors essential for national defense and technological leadership.
Source : Reuters
