Latest news with #BethlehemSteel
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In this political bellwether, voters feel the impacts of Trump's policies
Todd Harder voted for Donald Trump and knows firsthand his community would benefit if the president can deliver on his promise of a quick American manufacturing renaissance. But Harder doesn't believe he will ever see it. The early evidence, Harder said, is that the tariffs and tough trade talk Trump says will bring back factory boom times is instead leading to hard times. 'My generation, it's not going to (positively) impact. It is going to hurt us,' said Harder, the owner of ProDart, which makes wooden darts and dartboards in an Allentown industrial park. 'In the future, for the next generation, it might possibly help them out. But it's impacting the people that are here now today … in a not-good way.' That skeptical short-term take — from a Trump supporter — is worth noting and tracking: Trump's political standing is down from Inauguration Day, and the economic tumult caused by the tariffs debate is part of his slip. Harder lives in a Pennsylvania and American bellwether: the 7th Congressional District. Trump won it just barely in 2024, and the House seat flipped from Blue to Red. It is already a top target in the 2026 midterms. The Lehigh Valley holds icon status in the history of American manufacturing. Bethlehem Steel and Western Electric were among the valley giants back in the day; Mack Trucks and Martin Guitars are today. Crayola crayons is an Easton landmark whose lineage traces back to a turn-of-the-century company that made the red barn paint that dots the rural countryside. The globalization and trade debates that animate Trump today have defined the Lehigh Valley economy for a generation now. There were more than 66,000 factory jobs in the valley in 1990, just shy of 55,000 a decade later and a low of 35,000 in 2011. By the end of 2024, manufacturing employment had climbed back to 41,000. It has been flat in the four months Trump has been back in the White House. Harder and ProDart have a tiny place in those statistics. Fourteen employees at its peak; five now, including Harder's parents. 'We're kind of slow right now,' said Harder. 'Money is tight. People are complaining rent is really high. A lot of places, just the cash flow isn't there. So, I think everybody's starting to become a little more conservative on spending right now.' Harder only occasionally sources materials from foreign suppliers, so tariffs aren't really a direct hit on his business. But he says other local manufacturers are hurting, to varying degrees, and the tumult of the tariffs debate has hurt consumer confidence. 'Six to a seven, but not more,' is the grade Harder gives Trump on the economy at four months. 'He just got into it. See where it pans out.' Harder just got into it, too. He is 55, but his 2024 vote for Trump was the first time he had cast a ballot. Yes, he was mad about inflation. He thought Trump's tax policies would be better for his family and his business. But that is not what pulled Harder off the sidelines after skipping every previous election since he was first eligible to vote in 1988. 'There's no law and order anymore. The smoking marijuana stuff — that is getting out of hand,' Harder said. 'Go watch TV. You have men kissing and everything else and all the transgenders. You didn't have that before. You know, there is a God. I'm Catholic.' He says there are too many Puerto Rican flags around Allentown, too few schools teaching cursive and beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance. 'I was just so disgusted,' Harder said. 'Just how everything in this world, you know it is going to crap.' The Trump campaign and its allies made a methodical, concerted effort to target infrequent or unreliable voters like Harder; immigration, transgender rights and attacks on 'woke' Democrats were key pieces of that strategy. His decision to vote — to join the MAGA culture wars — also benefited the 7th District's new Republican congressman, Ryan Mackenzie. He defeated the Democratic incumbent by just 4,062 votes. But Harder isn't sure whether he will vote again in 2026. 'If I feel that things are running properly, yes,' he said. 'If I don't see anything changing, then it really doesn't matter what my vote is.' The Lehigh Valley was a repeat stop for our All Over the Map project in the 2024 cycle, and Harder is among the additional voters we hope to stay in touch with through 2026 and beyond, to track the first two years of the Trump term through their eyes and experiences. Michelle Rios is another, a battleground voter on the other side of the MAGA cultural divide. Rios helps run a diversity, equity and inclusion program at a local college, and she gets a mix of angry and amused at how her work is described by Trump and his allies. A normal day, she said, likely includes financial aid advice to a minority student, maybe help navigating campus clubs or social events. Of late, she might be dealing with rumors about lost funding or immigration crackdowns. 'I wanted to help out college students the same way that I was helped out because it made an incredible difference in my life and in my journey,' Rios said in an interview in Bethlehem. She was a student during the first Trump term and recalls always being on edge. She is determined this time to keep calm, while figuring out whether her college program will be impacted, or whether nonprofits she works with in the bustling Latino community here will be impacted because Trump officials view their grants as related to diversity. 'It just instills fear, and I think that is essentially what the last few months have done to people,' Rios said. 'So I try to focus on the action part. Like, this happened, so now what can we do about it?' The action part, to Rios, includes finding ways to win back the growing number of Latinos who left the Democrats to support Trump and other Republicans. 'Sometimes it has a bit to do with Latino culture,' she said. 'Sometimes we don't want to see women in a certain position.' Another effort: 'Just trying to encourage less social media. … I think that's also what made a big difference.' Rios let out long sigh when asked what she would say if she had a minute with President Trump. 'I don't think I would want a minute,' was her first response. Then, 'There's a lot of things that come to mind, but I just don't think I would know where to start.' Gerard Babb has no such hesitation. He would ask President Trump to try to save his job. The irony, he says, is that he sees Trump as at least partially to blame for the fact he will likely lose it soon. Babb works in the assembly line at Mack Trucks, a major employer in the area. But the company announced recently it would slash 250 to 350 jobs from its 2,600-member workforce here. It cited Trump tariffs as a factor, saying the president was softening demand. The United Auto Workers and others, including Rep. Mackenzie, suggest the company is using Trump as a foil and has long wanted to shift some production to Mexico. 'I believe they played a part,' Babb said of the Trump tariffs. 'Donald Trump could have had a little bit more finesse instead of using a blanket policy over everything.' Babb's first vote was for Barack Obama in 2008. But he switched to Mitt Romney in 2012 and then cast three votes for Trump. 'A B+' is how he grades Trump at the four-month mark, despite his jitters about losing his job. But every day is more stressful, as Babb checks seniority charts to see if normal turnover might somehow save him by the time Mack announces an exact number and timing. 'I was a 171 when they first announced,' Babb said. 'Now I am at 218. … If I can get about 350 it would be perfect. But as long as I am past 250, I have a chance.' Babb voted for Mackenzie, too, but says it is far too early to commit to his 2026 midterm vote. The strength of the economy is his top issue, and he said Mackenzie would help his chances if Congress eliminated taxes on overtime or did other things that would help his family. Babb said he is open to voting for the Democrat for Congress if that candidate had better economic policies. 'I haven't seen anything yet,' Babb said when asked about the White House promise to quickly boost manufacturing. 'I would love to see more manufacturing jobs in the area.' Most of his time now, though, is divided between keeping on top of the layoffs news at work and then trying to shake the stress and spend time with his wife and three children. 'It's stressful that I am (likely) going to be out of work in the near future,' Babb said. 'Because I want to provide for my wife and kids. It is the uncertainty that really gets to me.'
CNN
22-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
In this political bellwether, voters feel the impacts of Trump's policies
Todd Harder voted for Donald Trump and knows firsthand his community would benefit if the president can deliver on his promise of a quick American manufacturing renaissance. But Harder doesn't believe he will ever see it. The early evidence, Harder said, is that the tariffs and tough trade talk Trump says will bring back factory boom times is instead leading to hard times. 'My generation, it's not going to (positively) impact. It is going to hurt us,' said Harder, the owner of ProDart, which makes wooden darts and dartboards in an Allentown industrial park. 'In the future, for the next generation, it might possibly help them out. But it's impacting the people that are here now today … in a not-good way.' That skeptical short-term take — from a Trump supporter — is worth noting and tracking: Trump's political standing is down from Inauguration Day, and the economic tumult caused by the tariffs debate is part of his slip. Harder lives in a Pennsylvania and American bellwether: the 7th Congressional District. Trump won it just barely in 2024, and the House seat flipped from Blue to Red. It is already a top target in the 2026 midterms. The Lehigh Valley holds icon status in the history of American manufacturing. Bethlehem Steel and Western Electric were among the valley giants back in the day; Mack Trucks and Martin Guitars are today. Crayola crayons is an Easton landmark whose lineage traces back to a turn-of-the-century company that made the red barn paint that dots the rural countryside. The globalization and trade debates that animate Trump today have defined the Lehigh Valley economy for a generation now. There were more than 66,000 factory jobs in the valley in 1990, just shy of 55,000 a decade later and a low of 35,000 in 2011. By the end of 2024, manufacturing employment had climbed back to 41,000. It has been flat in the four months Trump has been back in the White House. Harder and ProDart have a tiny place in those statistics. Fourteen employees at its peak; five now, including Harder's parents. 'We're kind of slow right now,' said Harder. 'Money is tight. People are complaining rent is really high. A lot of places, just the cash flow isn't there. So, I think everybody's starting to become a little more conservative on spending right now.' Harder only occasionally sources materials from foreign suppliers, so tariffs aren't really a direct hit on his business. But he says other local manufacturers are hurting, to varying degrees, and the tumult of the tariffs debate has hurt consumer confidence. 'Six to a seven, but not more,' is the grade Harder gives Trump on the economy at four months. 'He just got into it. See where it pans out.' Harder just got into it, too. He is 55, but his 2024 vote for Trump was the first time he had cast a ballot. Yes, he was mad about inflation. He thought Trump's tax policies would be better for his family and his business. But that is not what pulled Harder off the sidelines after skipping every previous election since he was first eligible to vote in 1988. 'There's no law and order anymore. The smoking marijuana stuff — that is getting out of hand,' Harder said. 'Go watch TV. You have men kissing and everything else and all the transgenders. You didn't have that before. You know, there is a God. I'm Catholic.' He says there are too many Puerto Rican flags around Allentown, too few schools teaching cursive and beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance. 'I was just so disgusted,' Harder said. 'Just how everything in this world, you know it is going to crap.' The Trump campaign and its allies made a methodical, concerted effort to target infrequent or unreliable voters like Harder; immigration, transgender rights and attacks on 'woke' Democrats were key pieces of that strategy. His decision to vote — to join the MAGA culture wars — also benefited the 7th District's new Republican congressman, Ryan Mackenzie. He defeated the Democratic incumbent by just 4,062 votes. But Harder isn't sure whether he will vote again in 2026. 'If I feel that things are running properly, yes,' he said. 'If I don't see anything changing, then it really doesn't matter what my vote is.' The Lehigh Valley was a repeat stop for our All Over the Map project in the 2024 cycle, and Harder is among the additional voters we hope to stay in touch with through 2026 and beyond, to track the first two years of the Trump term through their eyes and experiences. Michelle Rios is another, a battleground voter on the other side of the MAGA cultural divide. Rios helps run a diversity, equity and inclusion program at a local college, and she gets a mix of angry and amused at how her work is described by Trump and his allies. A normal day, she said, likely includes financial aid advice to a minority student, maybe help navigating campus clubs or social events. Of late, she might be dealing with rumors about lost funding or immigration crackdowns. 'I wanted to help out college students the same way that I was helped out because it made an incredible difference in my life and in my journey,' Rios said in an interview in Bethlehem. She was a student during the first Trump term and recalls always being on edge. She is determined this time to keep calm, while figuring out whether her college program will be impacted, or whether nonprofits she works with in the bustling Latino community here will be impacted because Trump officials view their grants as related to diversity. 'It just instills fear, and I think that is essentially what the last few months have done to people,' Rios said. 'So I try to focus on the action part. Like, this happened, so now what can we do about it?' The action part, to Rios, includes finding ways to win back the growing number of Latinos who left the Democrats to support Trump and other Republicans. 'Sometimes it has a bit to do with Latino culture,' she said. 'Sometimes we don't want to see women in a certain position.' Another effort: 'Just trying to encourage less social media. … I think that's also what made a big difference.' Rios let out long sigh when asked what she would say if she had a minute with President Trump. 'I don't think I would want a minute,' was her first response. Then, 'There's a lot of things that come to mind, but I just don't think I would know where to start.' Gerard Babb has no such hesitation. He would ask President Trump to try to save his job. The irony, he says, is that he sees Trump as at least partially to blame for the fact he will likely lose it soon. Babb works in the assembly line at Mack Trucks, a major employer in the area. But the company announced recently it would slash 250 to 350 jobs from its 2,600-member workforce here. It cited Trump tariffs as a factor, saying the president was softening demand. The United Auto Workers and others, including Rep. Mackenzie, suggest the company is using Trump as a foil and has long wanted to shift some production to Mexico. 'I believe they played a part,' Babb said of the Trump tariffs. 'Donald Trump could have had a little bit more finesse instead of using a blanket policy over everything.' Babb's first vote was for Barack Obama in 2008. But he switched to Mitt Romney in 2012 and then cast three votes for Trump. 'A B+' is how he grades Trump at the four-month mark, despite his jitters about losing his job. But every day is more stressful, as Babb checks seniority charts to see if normal turnover might somehow save him by the time Mack announces an exact number and timing. 'I was a 171 when they first announced,' Babb said. 'Now I am at 218. … If I can get about 350 it would be perfect. But as long as I am past 250, I have a chance.' Babb voted for Mackenzie, too, but says it is far too early to commit to his 2026 midterm vote. The strength of the economy is his top issue, and he said Mackenzie would help his chances if Congress eliminated taxes on overtime or did other things that would help his family. Babb said he is open to voting for the Democrat for Congress if that candidate had better economic policies. 'I haven't seen anything yet,' Babb said when asked about the White House promise to quickly boost manufacturing. 'I would love to see more manufacturing jobs in the area.' Most of his time now, though, is divided between keeping on top of the layoffs news at work and then trying to shake the stress and spend time with his wife and three children. 'It's stressful that I am (likely) going to be out of work in the near future,' Babb said. 'Because I want to provide for my wife and kids. It is the uncertainty that really gets to me.'
CNN
22-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
In this political bellwether, voters feel the impacts of Trump's policies
Todd Harder voted for Donald Trump and knows firsthand his community would benefit if the president can deliver on his promise of a quick American manufacturing renaissance. But Harder doesn't believe he will ever see it. The early evidence, Harder said, is that the tariffs and tough trade talk Trump says will bring back factory boom times is instead leading to hard times. 'My generation, it's not going to (positively) impact. It is going to hurt us,' said Harder, the owner of ProDart, which makes wooden darts and dartboards in an Allentown industrial park. 'In the future, for the next generation, it might possibly help them out. But it's impacting the people that are here now today … in a not-good way.' That skeptical short-term take — from a Trump supporter — is worth noting and tracking: Trump's political standing is down from Inauguration Day, and the economic tumult caused by the tariffs debate is part of his slip. Harder lives in a Pennsylvania and American bellwether: the 7th Congressional District. Trump won it just barely in 2024, and the House seat flipped from Blue to Red. It is already a top target in the 2026 midterms. The Lehigh Valley holds icon status in the history of American manufacturing. Bethlehem Steel and Western Electric were among the valley giants back in the day; Mack Trucks and Martin Guitars are today. Crayola crayons is an Easton landmark whose lineage traces back to a turn-of-the-century company that made the red barn paint that dots the rural countryside. The globalization and trade debates that animate Trump today have defined the Lehigh Valley economy for a generation now. There were more than 66,000 factory jobs in the valley in 1990, just shy of 55,000 a decade later and a low of 35,000 in 2011. By the end of 2024, manufacturing employment had climbed back to 41,000. It has been flat in the four months Trump has been back in the White House. Harder and ProDart have a tiny place in those statistics. Fourteen employees at its peak; five now, including Harder's parents. 'We're kind of slow right now,' said Harder. 'Money is tight. People are complaining rent is really high. A lot of places, just the cash flow isn't there. So, I think everybody's starting to become a little more conservative on spending right now.' Harder only occasionally sources materials from foreign suppliers, so tariffs aren't really a direct hit on his business. But he says other local manufacturers are hurting, to varying degrees, and the tumult of the tariffs debate has hurt consumer confidence. 'Six to a seven, but not more,' is the grade Harder gives Trump on the economy at four months. 'He just got into it. See where it pans out.' Harder just got into it, too. He is 55, but his 2024 vote for Trump was the first time he had cast a ballot. Yes, he was mad about inflation. He thought Trump's tax policies would be better for his family and his business. But that is not what pulled Harder off the sidelines after skipping every previous election since he was first eligible to vote in 1988. 'There's no law and order anymore. The smoking marijuana stuff — that is getting out of hand,' Harder said. 'Go watch TV. You have men kissing and everything else and all the transgenders. You didn't have that before. You know, there is a God. I'm Catholic.' He says there are too many Puerto Rican flags around Allentown, too few schools teaching cursive and beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance. 'I was just so disgusted,' Harder said. 'Just how everything in this world, you know it is going to crap.' The Trump campaign and its allies made a methodical, concerted effort to target infrequent or unreliable voters like Harder; immigration, transgender rights and attacks on 'woke' Democrats were key pieces of that strategy. His decision to vote — to join the MAGA culture wars — also benefited the 7th District's new Republican congressman, Ryan Mackenzie. He defeated the Democratic incumbent by just 4,062 votes. But Harder isn't sure whether he will vote again in 2026. 'If I feel that things are running properly, yes,' he said. 'If I don't see anything changing, then it really doesn't matter what my vote is.' The Lehigh Valley was a repeat stop for our All Over the Map project in the 2024 cycle, and Harder is among the additional voters we hope to stay in touch with through 2026 and beyond, to track the first two years of the Trump term through their eyes and experiences. Michelle Rios is another, a battleground voter on the other side of the MAGA cultural divide. Rios helps run a diversity, equity and inclusion program at a local college, and she gets a mix of angry and amused at how her work is described by Trump and his allies. A normal day, she said, likely includes financial aid advice to a minority student, maybe help navigating campus clubs or social events. Of late, she might be dealing with rumors about lost funding or immigration crackdowns. 'I wanted to help out college students the same way that I was helped out because it made an incredible difference in my life and in my journey,' Rios said in an interview in Bethlehem. She was a student during the first Trump term and recalls always being on edge. She is determined this time to keep calm, while figuring out whether her college program will be impacted, or whether nonprofits she works with in the bustling Latino community here will be impacted because Trump officials view their grants as related to diversity. 'It just instills fear, and I think that is essentially what the last few months have done to people,' Rios said. 'So I try to focus on the action part. Like, this happened, so now what can we do about it?' The action part, to Rios, includes finding ways to win back the growing number of Latinos who left the Democrats to support Trump and other Republicans. 'Sometimes it has a bit to do with Latino culture,' she said. 'Sometimes we don't want to see women in a certain position.' Another effort: 'Just trying to encourage less social media. … I think that's also what made a big difference.' Rios let out long sigh when asked what she would say if she had a minute with President Trump. 'I don't think I would want a minute,' was her first response. Then, 'There's a lot of things that come to mind, but I just don't think I would know where to start.' Gerard Babb has no such hesitation. He would ask President Trump to try to save his job. The irony, he says, is that he sees Trump as at least partially to blame for the fact he will likely lose it soon. Babb works in the assembly line at Mack Trucks, a major employer in the area. But the company announced recently it would slash 250 to 350 jobs from its 2,600-member workforce here. It cited Trump tariffs as a factor, saying the president was softening demand. The United Auto Workers and others, including Rep. Mackenzie, suggest the company is using Trump as a foil and has long wanted to shift some production to Mexico. 'I believe they played a part,' Babb said of the Trump tariffs. 'Donald Trump could have had a little bit more finesse instead of using a blanket policy over everything.' Babb's first vote was for Barack Obama in 2008. But he switched to Mitt Romney in 2012 and then cast three votes for Trump. 'A B+' is how he grades Trump at the four-month mark, despite his jitters about losing his job. But every day is more stressful, as Babb checks seniority charts to see if normal turnover might somehow save him by the time Mack announces an exact number and timing. 'I was a 171 when they first announced,' Babb said. 'Now I am at 218. … If I can get about 350 it would be perfect. But as long as I am past 250, I have a chance.' Babb voted for Mackenzie, too, but says it is far too early to commit to his 2026 midterm vote. The strength of the economy is his top issue, and he said Mackenzie would help his chances if Congress eliminated taxes on overtime or did other things that would help his family. Babb said he is open to voting for the Democrat for Congress if that candidate had better economic policies. 'I haven't seen anything yet,' Babb said when asked about the White House promise to quickly boost manufacturing. 'I would love to see more manufacturing jobs in the area.' Most of his time now, though, is divided between keeping on top of the layoffs news at work and then trying to shake the stress and spend time with his wife and three children. 'It's stressful that I am (likely) going to be out of work in the near future,' Babb said. 'Because I want to provide for my wife and kids. It is the uncertainty that really gets to me.'
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Yesteryear's Industrial Sites Become Today's Economic Engines
The Brooklyn Navy Yard has become a 300-acre industrial park housing more than 550 businesses and ... More employing 13,000 people. New York City's Brooklyn Shipyard was once known as the 'Can Do Shipyard,' based on its reputation for rapid ship production and repair during World War II. Pennsylvania's Bethlehem Steel forged steel girders used in erecting the Golden Gate Bridge and Empire State Building. Kansas City, Kan.-based Fairfax Industrial District was where World War II B-25 bombers were cobbled together. And Pittsburgh, Pa.'s Hazelwood Green steel mill stood as a powerful 20th Century symbol of the city's industrial brawn. Today, these once-humming industrial complexes have seen remarkable comebacks and have become vital cogs in their cities' respective economies. The roles they serve today, however, are very different than those they played early last century. For instance, the Brooklyn Navy Yard has become a 300-acre industrial park housing more than 550 businesses, employing 13,000 people and generating more than $2.5 billion each year in economic impact. The Yard shines in workforce development, training the next generation of skilled workers through its CNC operator training program. Its lively Market@77 community-focused food hall gives Brooklynites and visitors to the borough a place to meet each other while supporting local vendors. Almost all of the more than 100-year-old buildings that were part of the Brooklyn Navy yard – and nearly all of them brick-clad -- have been retained intact. That includes preservation and active use of Dry Dock 1, the third dry dock to be built in the U.S. in the 19th Century, and since 1975 a New York City landmark. Bethlehem Steel ended its manufacturing operations in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley in 1994, but the site is now again serving the valley's modern economy. Lehigh Valley Industrial Park 7 blankets more than 1,000 acres, and is home to three dozen industrial, manufacturing, office and retail businesses. More than 4,300 jobs have been created by the complex, which has attracted more than $650 million in private investment. K.C.'s Fairfax Industrial District, established 103 years ago, is now home to more than 130 businesses, employs 10,000 workers and annually generates more than $5.4 billion in sales. Enterprises within its borders range from one-person companies to enormous corporations such as Kellogg's, CertainTeed, Owens Corning and General Motors. And Hazelwood Green in Pittsburgh has been reborn as an advanced biotechnology manufacturing hub that supports innovation and economic development. Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Innovation Center is housed there, as is an innovation hub and incubator spearheaded by OneValley, a Silicon Valley-based platform that links entrepreneurs, startups and organizations across the globe. If turning these 20th Century relics into modern economic powerhouses sounds easy, it has been anything but. Within Brooklyn Navy Yard, for instance, rehabilitating for modern use legacy buildings and infrastructure originally intended for Naval shipyard purposes proved an immensely daunting undertaking, says Lindsay Greene, chief executive officer and president for the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation. 'Many of the buildings, roads, and waterfront infrastructure – like piers, berths and dry docks – were uniquely constructed, requiring us to have to creatively adapt and transform the campus for modern industrial uses,' she said. 'Following a period of approximately 30 years of strategic investment and deliberate tenanting strategies in partnership with the City of New York, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation has been able to rehabilitate, restore and reinvent the industrial hub for modern manufacturing needs.' Support for the project began during the mayoralty of Rudy Guiliani in the late 1990s, and gained momentum, along with private and public funding, during the tenure of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. 'In the last 15 to 20 years, much of that city funding has been supplemented by a boost in state and federal grants,' Greene said. 'We've also creatively leveraged historic tax credits to rehabilitate some of the historic properties.' If everything old really is new again, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Lehigh Valley, Fairfax Industrial District and Hazelwood Green are some of the best examples, demonstrating what's possible when fresh innovation takes root within legacy manufacturing sites.
Yomiuri Shimbun
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Trump Tariffs Set off Doubts — Even in Rust Belt Area He Pledged to Restore
Hannah Yoon/For The Washington Post People protest in front of Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's office in Allentown on April 28. ALLENTOWN, Pennsylvania – One month into a sweeping new tariff regime that President Donald Trump vowed would bring jobs and factories 'roaring back,' a Pennsylvania manufacturing hub is full of skepticism. Trump once told supporters here in the Lehigh Valley that they know 'better than almost any place in this country' how global trade has 'outsourced your industries' and 'wiped out your steel mills.' Now, even in one of the communities the president suggested would benefit most from his tariffs, his economic overhaul is disrupting lives – and testing some voters' patience in an election-deciding swing state. New hires at a local truck-making plant had just started on the shop floor last month when their company announced an abrupt change: Layoffs that could hit more than 10 percent of the workforce and that the company blamed on tariffs and other economic uncertainty. Even Trump's fans sometimes grimace at his plans to remake the world economy, worried about higher costs in a politically competitive area still scattered with lawn signs that read, 'TRUMP LOW PRICES KAMALA HIGH PRICES.' Almost two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of tariffs, and a lasting backlash could be especially consequential for Republicans in areas such as the Lehigh Valley, a perennial Rust Belt battleground where Trump's campaign pitch resonated with many voters. Trump's tariffs have put pressure on some of the GOP's most vulnerable incumbents in Congress – including the local congressman, freshman Ryan Mackenzie – as they try to defend Trump's agenda while also acknowledging their constituents' concerns. Officials here are doubtful that any tariffs, no matter how drastic, can re-create the economy of the past, when one steel company's facilities in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, alone employed 30,000 people. Manufacturing is still the biggest industry in the Lehigh Valley, with investment booming in recent years. At the same time, leaders are proud that they managed to diversify their economy after Bethlehem Steel collapsed decades ago. Brian Higgins, a longtime Republican commissioner in Lower Macungie Township, just north of the truck plant, said it's hard to imagine manufacturing rebounding to where it was decades ago. 'I don't think anybody thinks that you could bring the Lehigh Valley back to what it was,' Higgins said. 'Could we bring some manufacturing back there? Probably, but not to the extent that people believe.' 'I just think it's gonna cost more money, and then it's going to hurt us with retaliatory tariffs,' said Higgins, a self-described 'Reagan Republican' who could not bring himself to vote for Trump. Trump argues that levying tariffs on imports will give him leverage for trade deals and ultimately compel companies to ramp up production in the United States. Critics say the strategy will raise costs for consumers and destabilize the economy while leaving businesses too uncertain about the future to make plans. 'The Trump administration's policies are delivering much-needed economic relief for everyday Americans while laying the groundwork for a long-term restoration of American Greatness,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement, noting that inflation cooled in March and that gross private domestic investment has increased by 22 percent in the first quarter of 2025. Employers added 177,000 jobs last month, a strong showing despite the upheaval from Trump's tariffs announced April 2. In interviews, Lehigh Valley voters who had heard about the Mack layoffs often brushed them off as routine – the company has downsized before – or said they weren't sure they believed the firm's explanation. But many, including Trump voters, also said they are bracing for economic pain in the valley, which spans two counties: Lehigh, which Democrat Kamala Harris won by less than three points in the fall, and Northampton, a bellwether that frequently backs the winners of presidential elections and went narrowly for Trump. Adrienne Rinehimer, 51, said she's building a house and might push back her timeline if prices get too high. Retiree Rick Janko was mostly supportive of the president's agenda but rolled his eyes at claims that tariffs will bring manufacturing back. Like Rinehimer, he cast his ballot for Trump last year. 'How much are you going to pay for something?' Janko asked. 'Let's be honest, anything bought in America is always more expensive.' Workers divided over tariffs Workers at Mack Trucks – where the terms of the layoffs are still under discussion – are split, said union official Dan Hand, who just celebrated his 27th anniversary there. United Auto Workers leadership endorsed Democrat Kamala Harris in the fall, but many union members support Trump. Mack employees approached by The Washington Post mostly declined to talk, sometimes saying they didn't want to get in trouble. But Hand, the alternate shop chair for the Mack unit of UAW Local 677, said he knows some of his colleagues were taken aback at Trump's plans. 'There are a few people that think they made a mistake the way that they voted,' Hand said. He declined to discuss his vote, saying only that he is a registered Republican. Other workers at Mack are staunchly behind Trump and unmoved by the layoffs – more worried, they said, about the years-long offshoring of jobs to foreign countries. Mack's parent company, the Volvo Group, announced last year that it would build a new truck plant in Mexico, where average salaries are much lower than the roughly $33 an hour its Pennsylvania production employees can earn. Johnathan Watkins, 47, who performs electrical testing at Mack, said 'ups' and 'downs' are to be expected in his industry and noted that he was laid off in 2020 and then brought back. The stock market is 'cyclical' too, he said, brushing off the wild fluctuations the tariffs have triggered. 'I think that tariffs are needed to equalize the playing field,' said Watkins, an independent who voted third-party in 2016 but backed Trump in 2020 and 2024, impressed with his first term. 'Do I think everything's going to come back? No,' Watkins said, referring to manufacturing jobs. 'Do I think anything coming back to employ American workers is a good thing? Absolutely.' Sitting next to Watkins at the union hall, Hand said it wouldn't be easy. 'It's not going to be something that can just happen in a year or two,' he said. Hand had some thoughts for Trump. 'If you're going to use the tariffs, you need to use them the right way and not keep on backpedaling,' he said, alluding to the president's recent shifts. 'Tariffs most likely work better if they're targeted rather than being blanketed.' Don Cunningham, president of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp., said the tariffs are 'all everybody talks about' in his circles right now. Many businesses are still trying to figure out what the shifting tariffs mean for them: 'Nobody's walked away, but everybody's kind of just tapping the brakes a little bit,' he said. Tariffs put Republican congressman in a vise Democrats are already using Trump's tariffs against Republicans, telling voters that he has broken his promise to bring down costs and gearing up to press GOP lawmakers on the issue in the 2026 midterms. The Mack plant sits in a battleground district that is home to one of Democrats' top targets: freshman Mackenzie, who once joined the truck factory workers on the picket line. Mackenzie has defended the tariffs, saying the president is taking steps to address decades of 'unfair trade practices.' In a statement, the congressman said he was 'disappointed' by Mack Trucks' decision to lay off workers 'after several quarters of weakening growth' and 'on the heels of last year's decision to build new plants in Mexico.' He met with union officials shortly after the layoffs were announced – and made no mention of tariffs in a subsequent social media post. 'I share their concerns regarding the outsourcing of good-paying jobs,' he wrote. Democrats – and some Trump-critical Republicans – have begun to protest every Monday outside Mackenzie's office in Allentown, lining the street for an hour at noon and drawing a steady stream of honks from passing cars. One day in late April, their signs were mostly focused on government programs such as Medicaid and Social Security. But some Democrats predicted that Trump's handling of the economy could put Mackenzie in his toughest spot yet. 'Right now, the single best thing he can do is fight Donald Trump and fight him on his tariffs,' state Rep. Pete Schweyer (D) said as he wandered down the line of protesters. Shopping in nearby Macungie, retiree Margaret O'Brian worried about an economic downturn and said she was already struggling to afford food for her cats. She didn't make it out to vote in the fall but would have cast her ballot for Trump; now, she and some of her Trump-voting friends aren't thrilled with the results. 'It's not working right now, let's put it that way,' she said of the tariffs. 'I thought it was going to be real good,' she added.
