Executive Order promotes buying American products and hiring American workers.

In Executive Order 13788, President Donald Trump announced that the policy of the executive branch would be to 'Buy American and Hire American.' This directive aimed to strengthen the economy by encouraging the purchase of American-made goods and prioritizing American workers. The background of this order lies in longstanding concerns over trade deficits and job losses attributed to outsourcing and the importation of foreign goods. By requiring federal agencies to prioritize American products in their procurement processes and scrutinizing immigration policies to protect U.S. workers, the executive order sought to combat these issues. The immediate impact included a directive for federal agencies to tighten their standards and practices related to procurement to favor U.S. manufacturers. This was expected to increase demand for domestically produced goods. Additionally, the order called for the modification of immigration rules to ensure that the H-1B visa program was used to prioritize the hiring of American workers over foreign labor. From an economic standpoint, the 'Buy American' provision was projected to benefit manufacturing sectors by increasing domestic production demands. The 'Hire American' policy focused on safeguarding jobs and wages for U.S. residents. Supporters argued that this would lead to job creation and promote growth in the American labor market. Key statistics relevant to this moment included the U.S. trade deficit, which stood at approximately $500 billion in goods at the time. The unemployment rate was around 4.5%, with significant regional disparities. The H-1B visa program, which saw around 85,000 new workers annually, became a focal point of the order in its hiring mandates. Critics raised concerns about potential cost increases for federal projects and retaliatory trade measures from foreign partners. Nonetheless, the order marked a clear stance on economic nationalism, aiming to prioritize national economic interests. #BuyAmerican #HireAmerican #ExecutiveOrder13788 #EconomicPolicy #MoofLife