Presidential Weekly Address - 18 March 2017

My fellow Americans, This week, I traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to lay a wreath at the grave of Andrew Jackson, on the 250th anniversary of his birth. Jackson was an American hero. First, as the brilliant general whose crushing defeat of the British at New Orleans saved our independence in the War of 1812. And later, as the seventh President of the United States—when he fought to defend the forgotten men and women from the arrogant elite of his day. Does it sound familiar? The memory of his leadership lives on in our people, and his spirit points us to a better future. This week, I also traveled to the Willow Run plant in Michigan. At that facility during the Second World War, the Ford Motor Company built not cars, but entire airplanes. At one point, workers there produced a complete B-24 Liberator every single hour – hard to believe. Today on that site is a new facility, where the cutting edge cars of the future will be tested. And this week, the old plant was filled once again with thousands of workers and engineers. I was there to share the good news for the American auto industry. We announced we’ll be reversing an 11th hour executive action from the previous Administration that was threatening thousands of auto jobs in Michigan and across America. And I mean threatening – it was very, very sad to see. In fact, we are setting up a task force in every federal agency to identify any unnecessary regulation that is hurting American businesses and American jobs. The first two job reports of my administration show that we’ve already added nearly half a million new jobs. The days of economic surrender for the United States are over. For too long, special interests have made money shipping jobs overseas. We need a new economic model – let’s call it the American Model. Under this model, we will lower the burden on American Business but, in exchange, they must hire and grow America and American jobs. This will be a win-win for our companies and for our workers.

Let’s buy American and hire American. Let’s create jobs in America. Let’s imagine new industries. And let’s build a beautiful future together. Among the workers building B-24 bombers at the Willow Run plant during World War II was one tough lady. You might have heard of her: they called her Rosie the Riveter. And when Rosie’s country called her, she answered the call. Rosie was famous for her toughness and her strength—and for the words that were emblazoned above her famous image. It said very simply: “We can do it.” If Americans unite, and find again within our nation the soul of Rosie and the spirit of Jackson—I have no doubt that we can do it, and do it like never before.

Thank you. Enjoy your week.