Vance Touts Trump's Michigan Jobs Boom, Calls Gas Price Spike 'Temporary Blip'

Addressing workers at Engineering Design Services Incorporated in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Vance framed the administration's approach as an effort to rebuild domestic industry after years of factory closures and job losses.

"We were sick of shipping American jobs overseas. We were sick of shipping American industry overseas. We are going to build right here in Michigan, right here at home, right here in the United States of America, and that's what we've done," he said.

Indian American Republican leader Sunny Reddy delivered a welcome address for Vance.

The speech offered a clear snapshot of how the Trump administration is trying to present its economic record: more domestic production, lower taxes, less regulation, and a readiness to use tariffs against trading partners it says have benefited at the expense of American workers.

Vance said Michigan had added "over 2,000 manufacturing jobs in this state since Donald Trump became President" and pointed to the state's industrial ecosystem, including engineering firms, robotics, and automobile manufacturing, as evidence that a broader revival was underway.

He also argued that recent tax changes were putting more money in consumers' pockets and creating room for businesses to hire and invest. "The average American has actually increased their take-home pay by about $1,400," he said, though he added that many families were still recovering from the inflation shock of the Biden years.

The vice president made a particular effort to highlight the car industry, which remains central to Michigan's economy and is closely watched abroad because of its link to supply chains, trade flows and technology shifts. He accused the previous administration of burdening automakers with regulation and said Trump had reversed that direction.

"We believe you ought to be able to drive whatever the hell car you want in the United States of America," Vance said, in a reference to the administration's broader pushback against policies seen by conservatives as forcing electric vehicle adoption too quickly.

His remarks also touched on a concern with wider global relevance: energy prices. Asked about rising petrol prices amid the Iran crisis and threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Vance said the administration believed the increase would be temporary.

"Gas prices are up, and we know they're up and we know that people are hurting because of it," he said. But he added: "This is a temporary blip."

Vance said Washington had worked with allies to release petroleum reserves in an effort to place downward pressure on prices, and suggested further measures could be announced soon.

- IANS