Van Orden, Lutnick Defend Tariffs at Trane Tour as Trump Pushes U.S. Manufacturing Revival

Q: How does highlighting an Irish-owned firm advance the goal of a stronger American manufacturing base?

It advances that goal only if the focus is on what the company does in the United States, not on its Irish ownership. Trane Technologies may be headquartered in Ireland, but the La Crosse site is an American factory employing American workers, buying from U.S. suppliers, and adding to U.S. industrial capacity. In that sense, the visit can be read as an argument that a stronger U.S. manufacturing base is built not just by U.S.-owned firms, but by any company that invests, produces, and hires in the United States. That fits broader economic evidence. Foreign direct investment is a major part of U.S. manufacturing: manufacturing takes the largest share of FDI spending, and Ireland is a significant investor in the United States. If an Irish-based company expands production in Wisconsin, that still supports U.S. jobs, local tax bases, supplier networks, and technology adoption. For a state like Wisconsin, where manufacturing remains central but has faced job losses and retirements, those investments matter. Still, the optics are imperfect if the message is “American manufacturing” in a narrow ownership sense. The stronger case is that domestic manufacturing strength depends on where production happens, where workers are employed, and how resilient supply chains are. By that standard, highlighting Trane’s Wisconsin plant supports the argument for rebuilding U.S. industrial capacity, even if the parent company is foreign-owned.

3 articles · Updated · WXOW.com · Jul 6

At Trane Technologies in La Crosse, Rep. Derrick Van Orden and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick used a factory tour to showcase the Trump administration’s manufacturing agenda.
Van Orden cast tariffs as a tool to level the playing field for U.S. workers, answering criticism that they raise costs for businesses.
Lutnick thanked Trane employees and said his goal is to make it easier to invest, build and do business in the United States, though he offered no specific policy details.
He also argued that excessive federal regulation is holding businesses back, tying deregulation to the administration’s broader push to revive domestic manufacturing.

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WXOW.com1d ago

Rep. Van Orden, Sec. Lutnick Tour Trane Technologies, Highlight Trump Admin Manufacturing Efforts

WIZM NEWS2d ago

Commerce Secretary tours La Crosse's Trane factory with Rep. Van Orden - WIZM 92.3FM 106.7FM 1410AM

WEAU2d ago

Van Orden, Secretary Lutnick Tour Trane Technologies in La Crosse, Discuss Manufacturing

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Van Orden, Lutnick Defend Tariffs at Trane Tour as Trump Pushes U.S. Manufacturing Revival

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