US President Donald Trump on Tuesday highlighted what he described as a strong revival of American manufacturing, crediting policy shifts, expanded factory operations and growing automation for an economy he said is “rocketing” forward.

Speaking during an interview with CBS News from inside an active Ford automobile assembly plant, Trump pointed to increased production schedules across the US auto sector as tangible proof of economic momentum. He said major manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, are expanding operations and moving toward round-the-clock production.

“If you walk around this plant, like I have, they’ve just announced they’re going to 24 hours,” Trump said. “This is a Ford plant, but GM is the same, Stellantis is the same.”

The President claimed that factories nationwide are enlarging capacity and operating at unprecedented levels, arguing that the manufacturing sector is experiencing its strongest growth in decades. According to Trump, the surge reflects renewed investor confidence and a favourable domestic production environment.

“They’re enlarging every plant in this country,” he said. “We’re building more plants in the country than we’ve ever built.”

Addressing ongoing concerns over inflation, Trump acknowledged that some Americans continue to feel the impact of higher prices, particularly for groceries, but insisted that economic fundamentals have improved significantly since he assumed office.

“I inherited a mess,” Trump said, citing inflation and crime as major challenges at the start of his term. He argued that inflation has since fallen to its lowest levels in years, while employment figures and stock market performance signal broad economic strength.

“Our growth numbers are through the roof,” he said. “Our job numbers are tremendous.”

Trump also defended his decision to roll back federal mandates that pushed rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), saying the policy shift restores consumer choice rather than limiting technological progress.

“I want electric, and I want gasoline, and I want hybrids — I want everything,” he said. “Now people can have electric. They can have gasoline. They can have hybrid.”

When questioned about the idling of an EV facility near the Ford plant, Trump said production decisions were being driven by market demand, with some automakers refocusing on gasoline-powered vehicles.

The President acknowledged persistent labour shortages in the manufacturing sector, noting that Ford’s leadership has cited thousands of vacant mechanic positions. However, Trump described the shortage as a sign of economic vitality rather than weakness.

“That means it’s vibrant,” he said. “You could also have things where you have so many people and they can’t get jobs.”

Trump said companies are investing heavily in workforce training and predicted that robotics and automation would play an increasingly central role in sustaining industrial growth.

“I think robotics are going to be a big factor in the future,” he said. “This country won’t have enough people if we don’t have it.”

He also argued that reductions in the federal workforce are helping channel labour into higher-paying private sector roles, saying displaced government employees are being retrained for better opportunities.

Looking ahead, Trump rejected concerns that automation would depress wages, asserting that skilled workers would benefit from higher pay as industrial output expands.

“A skilled worker, a person with talent,” he said, “they’re going to make a lot of money.”