Trump visits Mac Trucks plant in Lehigh Valley, touts 15,000-truck bid and tax cuts

President Donald J. Trump visited the Mac Trucks plant in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, onstage Monday to praise U.S. manufacturing and spotlight what he described as a bid for 15,000 trucks from the factory. Trump said his tariffs and tax cuts had helped spur a wave of domestic factory investment and touted recent corporate announcements he said would create local jobs.

Trump framed the visit as a celebration of American industry, telling the crowd that Mac Trucks and its workforce had "been making trucks right here in Eastern Pennsylvania" and that the company was pursuing a contract for "15,000 trucks," a figure he repeated several times. "For more than 100 years, this legendary company has been making trucks right here in Eastern Pennsylvania," Trump said, adding that tariffs had encouraged firms to build plants in the U.S.

The visit included short remarks from employees and local officials. Sergeant Sam Elias of the Bethlehem Police Department, introduced by the president, told the audience the administration's "no tax on overtime" policy and secured funding had helped his household and department: "For my family, these savings have translated to what was once a day trip to the park is now an overnight stay at the Jersey Shore," Elias said. Patrick McHugh Jr., a Marine Corps veteran and longtime Mac Trucks employee, described multi-generational employment at the plant and thanked the president for highlighting the company's workforce.

Trump also named several recent investment announcements — citing a $3.5 billion pharmaceutical facility, a $30 million Nokia expansion and a $20 million medical-device expansion — and linked those developments to his administration's trade policies and deregulatory steps. He credited a 25% tariff on foreign autos and medium- and heavy-duty trucks for improving U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

The president and local Republican officeholders used the event to press the crowd for campaign support. Trump urged attendees to help elect or reelect named congressional Republicans and asked union members in the room to back candidates he endorsed.

No formal government procurement action or contract award was announced at the event; Trump characterized Mac Trucks as seeking a large procurement opportunity and framed that pursuit as evidence of manufacturing renewal. Company executives and local officials onstage offered public praise for the plant and workforce but did not announce a finalized contract.

The event combined campaign-style appeals with testimonials from plant employees and local officials; it did not include a formal ceremony to award or certify any industrial contract.