President Donald Trump has openly dismissed the idea of reviving America’s textile industry, despite the recent tariff policies that shook global trade.

“I’m not looking to make T-shirts, to be honest. I’m not looking to make socks… We are looking to do chips and computers and lots of other things, and tanks and ships,” Trump told reporters on May 25 before boarding Air Force One, as quoted by USA Today.

The remarks, paired with his agreement that the U.S. doesn’t need a “booming textile industry,” were met with sharp criticism from domestic producers. But they have also caught the attention of international observers who see a strategic opening for emerging manufacturing hubs.

Ethiopian-American economist Zemedeneh Nigatu framed Trump’s comments as a potential advantage for Ethiopia, where textile and apparel manufacturing remains a core part of the country’s industrial growth strategy.

“Emerging economies like Ethiopia, which have competitive and comparative advantages, can produce labor-intensive products like clothing at very competitive prices and still deliver high quality to American consumers,” he shared on social media.

With Ethiopia’s industrial growth accelerating from 4.8% in 2022 to 8.4% in 2024, and projections pointing to 12% by the end of the fiscal year, the country is positioning itself as a low-cost, high-capacity producer. Programs like Made in Ethiopia are aligning policy and investment to replace imports and boost exports.

Zemedeneh also called on U.S. entities—including private equity firms and development institutions like USDFC—to co-invest in African manufacturing, a move that could build resilient supply chains and offer American consumers alternatives to Asian production.

Local economists are also calling for structural reforms in Ethiopia’s textile value chain, especially in the use of abundant domestic raw materials like cotton. However, they stress that peace and political stability remain non-negotiable, forming the heartbeat of investment, industrial productivity, and uninterrupted supply chains.