President Trump’s pick of WeatherTech founder David MacNeil to serve on the Federal Trade Commission is exactly the kind of common-sense, pro-American appointment this country needs. MacNeil built WeatherTech into a U.S.-based manufacturing powerhouse and, according to reporting, is worth more than $4 billion after decades of making high-quality, American-made products. The nomination was formally announced by the White House and has already drawn attention in the press.
Make no mistake: this is not a swamp appointment from a career bureaucrat—this is a businessman and job creator who actually knows what it takes to keep factories humming and workers paid. MacNeil’s unapologetic embrace of Made-in-America production and his insistence on honest country-of-origin labeling are precisely the kind of priorities that the FTC should enforce, not the ideological crusades Washington insiders prefer. The agency has long been dominated by lawyers and academics who talk about consumers but rarely think about the livelihoods that trade rules and labeling actually affect.
Predictably, Democrats are howling about “pay-for-play” and conflicts of interest, throwing out the usual accusations instead of offering an alternative vision for American industry. Critics point to his political donations and personal ties, while conveniently forgetting that Washington’s elites trade access for influence every day; the difference here is that MacNeil’s record is one of job creation, not hollow virtue-signaling. Senator statements calling the nomination corruption are political theater—what matters to hardworking Americans is whether this nominee will defend honest labeling and domestic jobs.
Some in the press and on the Hill will try to paint MacNeil’s business background as a “conflict,” but experienced officials can and should recuse where appropriate while still bringing real-world expertise to the table. He’s already signaled a willingness to step back from day-to-day operations if confirmed, and he previously drew White House attention when nominated for an ambassador-at-large role focused on manufacturing competitiveness. Washington needs commissioners who have actually built something, not just argued about it from a lectern.
There’s a practical upside to this nomination that the left ignores: policies that protect American brands and require honest country-of-origin disclosures help small businesses and blue-collar communities, not just wealthy CEOs. WeatherTech’s focus on domestic supply chains and decades of investing in American factories is a model for how to rebuild manufacturing without writing blank checks to foreign producers. If the FTC starts enforcing transparency and fair competition with an eye toward American workers, consumers will be better off and patriotic manufacturers will thrive.
The Senate should stop the partisan grandstanding and confirm someone who understands real commerce, not just regulation for regulation’s sake. This is an opportunity to put a defender of American industry in a seat of influence, to push back against offshoring and deceptive marketing, and to send a message that Washington will finally stand with workers and entrepreneurs. If conservatives want government that actually works for the country, backing nominees like MacNeil is the practical, patriotic choice.
