Lehigh Valley’s Mack Trucks a presidential favorite for economic stumping

(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump’s visit to the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday blended economic messaging with campaign politics as he lauded the impact of his administration’s tariff policies on reviving U.S. manufacturing.

But it wasn’t all too long ago that his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, also walked the floors of the Macungie, Pa., facility, shaking hands with workers and promising his regulatory changes to make government contractors buy “substantially” American-made products would support the company’s growth.

As of 2026, the “Buy American” rule requires 65% of the materials used to be domestically produced, rising to 75% in 2029. The figure expands upon a rule change from Trump’s first term in office that increased the threshold from 50% to 55%.

For Mack Trucks, which has been manufacturing in Pennsylvania for more than a century, the rule makes them an appealing choice for government contractors, including ongoing negotiations for a supply...