I hope it’s just a negotiating ploy. But it’s also a waste of effort. He should be focusing on something that will actually help. Building the manufacturing industry will help. One thing that has already happened that has given US manufacturing an edge is the resurgence of the oil industry. Manufacturing depends on oil, gas, and chemicals. Also electricity. But the really big potential, I think, is in robotics, and no one is making a push on that. Everyone is scared to death that it will kill more jobs than it creates. I don’t see how that could be. Manufacturing is already dead, for the most part. We can rebuild, and that will provide new demand for steel and aluminum. No need for tariffs.
Robots need maintenance and programming, I think it will lead to more jobs and higher paying ones. The one thing robots don’t do is micro-industries where you make one off’s with 3d printing so there again more jobs and higher pay.