According to The Hill , Donald Trump’s White House used China-made cutlery to serve refreshments during its annual “Made in America Product Showcase,” which, as the name suggests, seeks to exhibit products made in America.
Matt Roberts, president of New York-based Sherrill Manufacturing, the last flatware maker in the U.S., told journalists that White House used Oneida Ltd. flatware, which reportedly makes its products in China. According to the report, Roberts and New York House representative Claudia Tenney have led efforts to convince the White House to purchase and use American-made silverware, but so far it appears that their requests have fallen on deaf ears.
The move had even received bipartisan support, with Congress members advocating the use of American-made silverware during state functions, and although Trump’s White House seemed to have made an initial contact with Greg Owens, co-founder and CEO of Sherrill Manufacturing, about the possibility of doing so, the latter never heard from the administration again.
This is particularly interesting in light of Donald Trump imposing tariffs on $34 billion worth of Chinese goods already, with the president recently threatening that he would even consider imposing tariffs on all Chinese goods, which amounts to more than $500 billion a year. China has called the economic sanctions an act of “bullying,” coming down heavily on the United States for having started what could essentially lead to a “trade war,” and retaliated with tariffs on U.S.-based products, which is set to hit the American soybean industry most perilously.
Matt Roberts made a point about the White House not using American products despite the president seeming so insistent to do the same.
“With all of the things going on in the world, forks and spoons in your kitchen are not exactly the top priority at the White House,” Roberts said.
But Owens remains more optimistic, having reportedly been informed by a White House aide that Donald Trump had seen the products made by his company and would possibly call him to replace the Chinese cutlery that is in use presently.
“Apparently he pointed it out and said, ‘I want this stuff in the White House.’ So I’m expecting a phone call or email in the next couple of days,” he said.
