Biden to sign ‘Buy American’ executive order

U.S. President Joe Biden, who has been “obliterating Trump” since he was sworn into office, is now takingl over the former president’s policy tack. On Monday, President Biden will sign an executive order designed to strengthen the U.S. government’s “Buy American” rules. The new executive order is in the same vein with Trump’s “American First”, making it a rule for the federal government to buy the products of American companies when spending taxpayers’ money for public procurements.

According to The Hill, President Biden will sign a series of executive orders on various agendas ranging from inter-racial equality, climate change, public health and immigration. The details of the executive orders have yet to be disclosed. 　

The “Buy American” executive order is a pledge that President Biden vowed to make good on since his election campaigns to garners the votes from blue-collar workers in Rust Belt states. President Biden promised to close the loopholes in the current Buy American policies, pointing out the Trump administration’s suffering of an adverse side-effect with the federal government deals won by foreign companies surging by 30%.

While breaking away from America-Firstism in diplomacy, President Trump proved to have a common ground with Trump in prioritizing American products for American companies and jobs. Against this backdrop, American’s major trading partners appear to be vexed. Canada and Mexico, America’s two closest neighbors, seem particularly anxious. It is reported that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed such concern to President Biden in his phone call to Washington last week.


Jae-Dong Yu jarrett@donga.com