Brave American soldiers helped win World War II. But they could not have succeeded without a rock-solid auto industry that mass-produced tanks, trucks and jeeps by the millions.

Today, this key pillar of America’s once-vaunted “Arsenal of Democracy” has been hollowed out by decades of unfair trade. No longer does America fully manufacture its own automobiles. We largely assemble high-value parts made overseas.

To restore our auto industry to strategic dominance, President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs not just on foreign-built autos but also on imported auto parts. These new Trump tariffs will provide powerful incentives for automakers to bring engine, transmission and drivetrain production back to American soil.

Of the 16 million passenger vehicles, SUVs and light trucks Americans buy annually, about 8 million are imported, primarily from Germany, Japan, Mexico and South Korea. Of the other 8 million vehicles assembled in America, about 50% of their content is made in America.

This means that just 25% of the dollar value of the vehicles Americans buy each year actually supports American manufacturing. The rest of our hard-earned money goes to pay for foreign-made parts and labor.

What caused this decline in America’s once-mighty auto sector?

It’s the same story we’ve seen across industries: Other nations use unfair trade practices and predatory industrial policies to flood our market with subsidized vehicles and parts while blocking U.S. exports from reaching their own consumers.

Take 

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