The parent comment addressed this phenomenon, although in a different context:
> A person can be in favor of changing policy even while they optimize within the current policy framework. For example: a wealthy person might be in favor of a tax on the wealthy even as they personally employ all available techniques to reduce their tax burden; there is no contradiction. No rational citizen will pay higher tax than the code obligates.
If you manufacture in the US while all your competitors manufacture overseas, you will go bankrupt, and would largely lose the ability to advocate for returning manufacturing the the US. Whether Trump is being honest in his promises is beside the point.
He doesn't do manufacturing: he mainly does real estate. He also started with a pile of money. He wasn't going to go bankrupt for investing that money exclusively in local businesses (esp real estate). He just didn't care about local businesses: his personal wealth and influence goes up as he globalizes just like those he critiques.
Now, your argument can definitely apply to manufacturing. It's why I would disagree with Trump on something like that if cost is the main issue. It's not always as many U.S. manufacturing companies can attest. Even when needing cheap labor, there are countries other than China less likely to cause us trouble that we could invest in. Many U.S. companies do, too.
> He doesn't do manufacturing: he mainly does real estate
Sigh....if he buys all his materials/furniture/supplies in the US in operation of his real estate business. So yes it is hypocritical, but it is basically unavoidable at this stage of the game.
> A person can be in favor of changing policy even while they optimize within the current policy framework. For example: a wealthy person might be in favor of a tax on the wealthy even as they personally employ all available techniques to reduce their tax burden; there is no contradiction. No rational citizen will pay higher tax than the code obligates.
If you manufacture in the US while all your competitors manufacture overseas, you will go bankrupt, and would largely lose the ability to advocate for returning manufacturing the the US. Whether Trump is being honest in his promises is beside the point.