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Trump and DOGE Defund Program That Boosted American Manufacturing for Decades

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At least one Manufacturing Extension Partnership ( MEP ) center in all 50 states provides taxpayer-subsidized consulting to small businesses.

The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) administers the program to help manufacturers.

On Tuesday , shortly before the president announced sweeping tariffs on global imports, NIST informed members of Congress that it was withholding funding for some MEP centers because their work no longer aligned with government priorities.

New Mexico MEP says the cuts “will have real and lasting negative impacts on the manufacturing ecosystem, both in our state and nationally ” Case studies published by NIST and state partners show that advisers associated with the help centers have walked businesses through how to adopt cybersecurity measures and build more resilient factory lines.

The help centers also link businesses to other resources.