President Trump is readying a “Buy American” executive order that would favor American companies and U.S.-made materials for government infrastructure projects.
Sources tell CNBC that the Trump administration is looking to expand on their “Hire American, Buy American” agenda and executive orders by mandating that government contracts for projects like roads and pipelines be granted to American companies who manufacture in the U.S.
Government infrastructure projects have been allowed to use outsourced materials made overseas, often coming from China and India.
The Trump administration’s economic nationalist executive order, which sources told CNBC is in its final stages of being signed by the president, would be another promise kept.
In September 2016, when running against failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Trump told Americans that his populist agenda would include making sure government contracts go to American companies who make their goods in the U.S.
“We will rebuild our roads, bridges, tunnels, highways, airports, schools and hospitals,” Trump said at the time.
“American hands will rebuild this nation – and American energy, harvested from American sources, will power this nation,” Trump continued. “American workers will be hired to do the job. We will put new American metal into the spine of this country. Jobs will return, incomes will rise, and new factories will come rushing back to our shores.”
The culture of economic patriotism that Trump has reinvigorated with his populist trade and immigration agenda is being felt throughout the country.
The latest poll by Rasmussen Reports found that more than three-in-four Americans say buying U.S.-made products is “important” to them. This comes after decades of cheap, imported products being favored by consumers.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.