US President Donald Trump emphasized that his tariff policies are designed to bolster domestic manufacturing of high-tech products and military equipment, not everyday items like sneakers and T-shirts, according. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One in New Jersey, President Trump echoed remarks made by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on April 29, who downplayed the need for a “booming textile industry.” Bessent’s comments had sparked backlash 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. We want to make, do the AI thing,” Trump said, as quoted by Reuters.He added, “I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks. 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.”The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) criticized Trump’s tariff approach, arguing it would harm the industry. “With 97% of the clothes and shoes we wear being imported, and with clothes and shoes already the most highly tariffed industry in the U.S., we need to focus on common sense solutions that can move the needle,” AAFA President Steve Lamar said in a statement. “More tariffs will only mean higher input costs for U.S. manufacturers and higher prices that will hurt lower income consumers.”Donald Trump extends EU deadline to July 9Trump, who has disrupted global markets with widespread tariffs, recently proposed a 50% tariff on European Union goods starting June 1 and threatened a 25% levy on imported iPhones that are not made in the US. Last week, Trump softened his stance on the EU tariffs, extending the deadline to July 9 to allow for negotiations with the 27-nation bloc.Trump’s victories in the 2016 and 2024 presidential elections were reportedly partly driven by support from working-class voters affected by the decline of U.S. manufacturing jobs. His administration has pushed tariffs to encourage domestic production and attract investments, though the U.S. economy remains reliant on global supply chains for cost-effective goods, including textiles.
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