2016–2025
How can the United States secure its position as the unrivaled world leader in critical and emerging technologies — such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and nuclear technology — maintaining our advantage over potential adversaries?
We need to accelerate research and development, dismantle regulatory barriers, strengthen domestic supply chains and manufacturing, spur robust private sector investment, and advance American companies in global markets. Rival nations are pushing hard to overtake the United States, and we must blaze a bold path to maintain our technological supremacy.
—President Donald Trump in a March 25, 2025 letter to Michael Krastios, Director of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Manufacturers increasingly focused on robotics, 3-D printing, and automation in the early to mid- 21st century. The cost of employing workers increased as expenses for workers’ compensation, OSHA regulations, healthcare, and other government-mandated requirements accumulated. Increasingly, manufacturers relied on automation for assembly needs—automation was generally more cost-effective than hiring additional staff.
Energy demands became the next major expense for manufacturers as, in the early 2020s, the Biden Administration began shutting down America’s coal mines and oil fields, which supplied affordable but non-renewable energy sources. Fears and anxiety about predicted global warming shifted the public’s previous support for non-renewable energy sources toward a focus on renewable solar and wind energy for essential needs.
In early 2020, the global COVID pandemic hit, and supply chains around the world were disrupted as entire countries shut down their economies due to the spread of the deadly virus. Although many healthcare-related products were considered “essential” and received significant exemptions from public isolation policies, transportation difficulties caused significant hardships for exporters and importers.
As the pandemic continued into 2022, Americans recognized the importance of bringing the manufacturing of essential items like medications and pharmaceuticals back to the U.S., which supported the already emerging “reshoring” movement.
President Donald Trump acknowledged the importance of U.S. manufacturing, and when elected as the 47th president in 2024, he focused on revitalizing what he saw as an urgent need to balance America’s trade deficit. He started imposing trade tariffs on countries he believed were unfairly benefiting from existing tariff rates.
The dramatic changes in rates created a period of uncertainty in America’s early efforts to renew manufacturing, and while the demands were in place, bidding and pricing wildly fluctuated as material costs soared to new heights.
TMA’s Second 50 Years: 1975-2025 Part 4
TMA’s Second 50 Years: 1975-2025 was first published in TMA’s Centennial Commemoration News Bulletin, Summer 2025 . Written by TMA News Editor, Fran Eaton.