Manufacturing · 2025-04-01
The U.S. had lost 90,000 factories since NAFTA
Unsupported
Trump attributed the loss of 90,000 American plants and factories to the period after NAFTA.
What the evidence shows
Census Bureau data show a decline of roughly 74,000 manufacturing establishments from 1995 to 2022; many were very small businesses, and the data do not establish that NAFTA caused each closure.
What happened next
Assessment reflects the cited reporting and data available at the time; check for subsequent revisions.
Assessment notes
Editorial paraphrase, not a verbatim quote. Assessment concerns the narrow claim stated here. Where an exact speech date is not established, the date is an approximate month placeholder.