Donald Trump defends his tariff policy: 'Want to make tanks, not t-shirts'

Trump defends his tariff policy

US President Donald Trump said that his trade policies are not aimed at promoting sneakers and T-shirts but domestic manufacturing of tanks and technology products reports Reuters.

"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," Trump said.

Speaking to reporters in New Jersey before boarding Air Force One, Trump echoed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s earlier statement, saying the U.S. doesn’t require a thriving textile industry, according to Reuters.

On April 29, Bessent stated that the U.S. doesn't necessarily require a "booming textile industry"—remarks that sparked backlash from textile companies and were strongly criticized by the National Council of Textile Organizations.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association responded to Trump's comments by stating that tariffs have a negative impact on 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 US, we need to focus on common sense solutions that can move the needle," AAPA President Steve Lamar said in a statement.

"More tariffs will only mean higher input costs for US manufacturers and higher prices that will hurt lower income consumers."

The US President has shaken global markets by implementing wide-ranging tariffs, including a 50% duty on goods from the European Union starting June 1. He also warned that a 25% tariff could be placed on all imported iPhones purchased by American consumers.

Although he extended deadline for EU tariffs until July 9 to leave room for talks between Washington and the 27-nation bloc.

Trump won the 2016 and 2024 U.S. presidential elections in part by appealing to working class voters hurt by the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs over many years.

He has sought to make good on his promises to boost manufacturing with import tariffs and heralding investments by companies and foreign nations into the United States, even as the U.S. economy remains dependent on supply chains with other countries where many goods, including textiles, are produced less expensively.

(with Reuters inputs)