The Digester

Whirlpool made manufacturing promises to Trump — then cut 481 jobs

Mar 3rd 2026

Whirlpool, which pledged in 2018 to boost U.S. manufacturing in return for tariffs, announced plant closures and 481 layoffs in Iowa as it shifts production to Mexico, raising questions about the effectiveness of tariff-driven industrial policy.

  • Whirlpool promised in 2018 to increase U.S. manufacturing in exchange for tariffs and welcomed Donald Trump at an Ohio plant in 2020.
  • The International Association of Machinists says Whirlpool is shifting production to Mexico and laying off 481 workers in Iowa.
  • Tariffs on washing machines raised consumer prices by 2019 and researchers estimate they created about 1,800 U.S. jobs at an estimated cost of about $817,000 per job.
  • Other recent Iowa layoffs include Cedar Valley Corp closing with 89 job cuts, Wells Fargo cutting 49 positions, and CNH completing a facility closure in May.
  • The Cato Institute reports 108,000 U.S. manufacturing job losses in 2025 and the decline continued into 2026.
  • Economist Joseph Stiglitz warned the economy is weakening while Donald Trump recently promised a renewed "golden age" of manufacturing.

Sources

alternet.org