“America First” Means Jobs First: Why American Workers Need Priority

Donald Trump promised to put American workers first—a deal to make wages rise faster than the cost of living, from groceries to electricity.

That vision isn’t just politics—it’s about real jobs for real people.

But recently, Trump made comments that left some supporters wondering: is “America First” still really about American workers?

For example, when asked about admitting over 600,000 Chinese students to U.S. colleges, he replied that cutting the number in half would hurt American schools—and he suggested the U.S. needs foreign talent because “we don’t have enough skilled workers here.”

Here’s the problem: bringing in foreign workers can discourage Americans from learning high-demand skills.

“America First” shouldn’t just mean importing talent—it should mean training, hiring, and promoting U.S. workers.

America First Economics in Action

Trump’s first term showed that putting American jobs first works.

Tariffs on steel and aluminum helped bring manufacturing back home, created thousands of jobs, and boosted wages.

Example? My family’s 107-year-old manufacturing company expanded when supply chains reshored.

We restarted old machinery, filled production capacity, and even raised worker pay 5–8% this year, beating inflation.

But success isn’t automatic. Global politics grab headlines, yet the long-term goal must be reviving U.S. manufacturing.

Trillions in private investment are waiting for a clear signal: will America prioritize its workers?

Take pharmaceuticals: the U.S. depends heavily on China and India for generic drugs.

With strong leadership, domestic production could surge—creating thousands of well-paying jobs and reducing reliance on imports.

Tools Are Already in Place

Trump can use Section 232 of U.S. trade law to protect national industries—tariffs on solar panels, critical minerals, robotics, pharmaceuticals, and more could jump-start American production.

Bottom line:

If the administration doesn’t put jobs first, it risks losing momentum—not just politically, but for the millions of Americans counting on steady work.

MAGA economics only works if it’s building, buying, and hiring American.

“We’ve already seen that America First economics can work.”