"Was there really nothing in this bag that was made in America?"
Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to “Make America Great Again” by bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. A new video from Trump’s opponent suggests he does not follow his own advice.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign released a video Friday of two campaign staffers buying Trump merchandise in New York City’s Trump Tower. They said they bought a tie made in China, a shirt that was made in Peru and a polo made in Africa. “Was there really nothing in this bag that was made in America?” asked Zac Petkanas, Clinton’s director of rapid response. “I think the bag was made in America,” answered Jess McIntosh, Clinton’s director of communications outreach.
Trump has repeatedly touted his brands — Trump wine, steaks, casinos and of course, Trump’s skyscrapers — as a sign of his ability to create a business empire. He has also tried to win over voters with a pitch that he will create jobs as president by forcing companies to manufacture in America.
But that narrative has come under scrutiny, with the Clinton video as the latest challenge to Trump’s attempt to position himself as anti-globalization. As TIME previously reported, Trump has previously endorsed manufacturing overseas, saying in a 2005 essay that outsourcing jobs is “not always a terrible thing.”
“Losing jobs is never a good thing, but we have to look at the bigger picture,” Trump wrote.
A comment from Trump’s campaign on the Clinton video was not immediately available.