Ken Griffin Says Tariffs Won’t Efficiently Rebuild U.S. Manufacturing

Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin said tariffs would not efficiently rebuild U.S. manufacturing and urged greater use of robotics, challenging President Donald Trump’s promise that his tariff policy would bring back factory jobs.

At the Citadel Securities Future of Global Markets conference in New York on Oct. 20, Griffin called tariff battles with Canada, Europe and other U.S. allies “a disaster.” He said the approach had been “pro-inflation” and had disrupted supply chains.

Griffin argued that the current approach would not industrialize the United States efficiently. He pointed instead to robotics as a way to expand domestic production, saying most people do not want factory jobs making apparel.

“Most people don’t want to live that dream,” Griffin said. He urged the country to build production “with robotics running our factories.”

Trump linked tariffs to a promise of more domestic employment and production at his April 2, 2025, announcement. “Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country,” he said. Griffin’s remarks questioned that jobs-centered approach while calling for more manufacturing in the United States.

Griffin and Carnegie Mellon University announced a $3 billion gift on Sept. 30. The gift includes $1 billion for the university’s Pittsburgh campus and $2 billion for a planned campus in Miami, where advanced manufacturing and industrial transformation will be among the focus areas.

The proposed Miami campus would occupy more than 35 acres in the city’s Wynwood neighborhood. Construction is slated to begin in 2027, with first enrollment planned for 2028 pending regulatory approvals.