Handshake, Knowledge Transfer: Trump urges foreign experts to train Americans before departing

US President Donald Trump has urged foreign companies investing in the United States to ensure that their expert workers pass on crucial skills to American employees before returning to their home countries. In a call that mixes economic nationalism with pragmatic learning, Trump said such “knowledge handshakes” would help revive America’s industrial strength and secure long-term benefits from foreign investment.

Training Americans in advanced manufacturing

In a detailed Truth Social post, Trump underscored the need for the US to relearn advanced manufacturing in strategic sectors like semiconductors, shipbuilding, and high-tech machinery. He argued that while foreign investments bring capital and technology, their lasting impact depends on whether American workers can acquire the expertise to sustain production independently.

“When foreign companies come into the United States with massive investments to build extremely complex products and machines, I want them to bring their expert people for a period of time to teach and train our people,” Trump wrote. “Then, as they phase out of our country and return to their land, our workers will be ready to carry the legacy forward.”

Learning what America once mastered

Trump emphasized that much of this expertise is not entirely new but needs to be “relearned.” He cited shipbuilding as a striking example: “We once built a ship a day, but now we barely build a ship a year.” According to Trump, allowing foreign experts to temporarily train Americans would bridge this skills gap, enabling the US to regain its former industrial capabilities.

He stressed that without structured knowledge transfer, foreign investment would have only short-term benefits. “Chips, semiconductors, computers, ships, trains — if we don’t learn how to make these ourselves, the investment will eventually disappear,” he said.

Welcoming foreign investment — with conditions

Despite his tough stance, Trump clarified that he does not want to discourage foreign investment. Instead, he called for a balanced partnership where America gains long-term know-how. “We welcome outside companies and their employees,” he said. “We will proudly learn from them — and eventually, do even better than them at their own game.”

Trump’s remarks aim to reassure foreign investors that the US remains an attractive destination while signaling to domestic workers that his administration is committed to creating opportunities for skill-building and self-reliance.

Tariffs driving investments

The comments also come against the backdrop of Trump’s protectionist trade policies. He noted that tariffs are prompting automakers from China, Mexico, and Canada to set up factories in the US. “When you build their cars here, you don’t pay tariffs,” he said during a recent White House press conference, pointing out that thousands of companies are now considering US-based manufacturing.

By linking tariffs, foreign investments, and knowledge transfer, Trump framed his industrial strategy as both a shield and a springboard — shielding American jobs from unfair competition while using global expertise to build a stronger, self-sufficient workforce.

The bigger picture

As the US grapples with global economic uncertainties and fierce competition in technology and manufacturing, Trump’s call highlights a central challenge: welcoming foreign capital without becoming dependent on it. His proposal for a structured “handover of knowledge” seeks to ensure that every dollar of investment also builds lasting skills within America’s workforce.