Donald Trump brings top advisers into Harrisburg factory to sign executive orders
By Christine Vendel | cvendel@pennlive.com
HARRISBURG--President Donald Trump signed two executive orders that drew national attention to a wheelbarrow factory floor in the city of Harrisburg Saturday.
Trump mingled with workers at an Ames Companies factory in the 15000 block of South Cameron Street, along with his advisors, including Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller and Kellyanne Conway before signing the orders. Vice President Mike Pence also toured the factory.
The first executive order he signed calls for a review of all existing trade agreements. The second order establishes an Office of Trade and Manufacturing.
"Great people outside, you can see that," Trump said of the Harrisburg workers as he sat down to sign the orders. "Unbelievable workers. Nobody has better than what we have. It's wonderful to be at Ames."
Trump then appeared to read from a prepared statement where he noted the global company's "rich history" which dates back centuries and "helped to build our nation."
Trump said the company produced tools that were used at the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State building and the Hoover Dam, "just to name a few of the monuments within our country."
Trump said American manufacturing was coming back stronger and faster than he thought, citing hundreds of thousands of new jobs created. But he said the government has for a long time "sacrificed American competition and workers to unfair foreign competition."
The executive orders he signed Saturday were designed to keep jobs and wealth in America.
Trump said he has tasked the Commerce Department secretary to "identify every violation and abuse of our trade agreements and to use every available measure under the law to end these abuses against our workers."
If the deals can't be renegotiated, Trump said the deals would be eliminated.
"And if they don't get cleared up," Trump said, standing next to Secretary Wilbur Ross inside the factory. "Wilbur will end the trade agreements. Do you agree with that?"
Ross responded: "Yes sir."
The second order creates a new office of trade and manufacturing policy within the White House.
"Its mission will be to defend American workers and companies from those who would steal our jobs and threaten our manufacturing base," Trump said.
Trump then took out his pen and signed both agreements. At times workers could be heard cheering from the factory floor next door.
The president eventually handed the second pen to one of his top trade advisers, Peter Navarro, who will head the new trade office.
Trump then began wrapping up his remarks.
"We're only 100 days in so, I've done a lot of work," Trump said, "but we've loved. We've loved doing it. When you love something it's really easy and we love it. We're helping people. We're helping our workers."
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