Stephen Miller Uses President Trump’s Comment About Dolls To Make The Case For American-Made Goods
A big part of President Donald Trump’s disruptive trade agenda involves returning manufacturing jobs to the U.S.
He has acknowledged the potential short-term strain that tariffs and other measures might have on the economy, but insists the payoffs will be worth it in the end.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller recently responded to a question on the topic, which specifically referenced Trump’s prior remarks about dolls.
As The Hill reported:
During a Thursday press briefing, NBC News’s Peter Alexander referenced Trump’s comments from the previous day.
“He was making the point that I think almost every American consumer agrees with, what — if they had a choice between … a doll from China that might have, say, lead paint in it, that is not as well constructed as a doll made in America, that has a higher environmental and regulatory standard, and that is made to a higher degree of quality, and those two products are both on Amazon, that yes, you’d probably be willing to pay more for a better-made American product,” Miller said in response to Alexander.
Miller has gained a reputation for effectively defending Trump’s America-first agenda to the press:
And he recently proved he’s not afraid to confront Fox News when necessary:
Axios reported on the Trump remark that prompted Miller’s reaction:
Miller’s and Trump’s comments come among concerns the 2025 holiday shopping season will be significantly disrupted as imports are expected to plunge and prices are primed to rise.
Trump, speaking to reporters Wednesday, acknowledged that “Somebody said, ‘oh, the shelves are gonna be open.’” He continued, “Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed that sentiment in March, saying that “access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American dream.”
Factories in China produce nearly 80% of all toys sold in the U.S., per the New York Times.
Here’s a clip of Miller’s comment:
What do you think?