Trump signs order strengthening Buy American Act

July 15 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order to increase the government's use of American-made products during his annual Made in America showcase.

The order calls on the Trump administration to review and amend the Buy American Act, which says that a product is considered foreign made if the cost of foreign materials used to make the product is 50 percent or more of the total cost. The order suggests reducing that number to 5 percent for iron and steel end products, and 45 percent for all other products.

The event showcased products made in all 50 states on the South Lawn of the White House. Trump toured an Airstream motor home made in Ohio and boarded a Freeman Boatworks boat made in South Carolina. He also reviewed three Janus motorcycles made in Indiana and Litespeed titanium bicycles made in Tennessee.

Though the event was meant to focus on U.S. manufacturing, Trump addressed controversial tweets he posted Sunday about a group of U.S. congresswomen.

In the series of tweets, Trump alluded to a group of "'Progressive' Democrat Congresswomen," urging them to return to the countries where they originally came from whose governments he described as a "complete and total catastrophe" instead of "loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States" how the government should be run.

Though he didn't name the women, it's largely believed he was referring to a group of freshman progressive Democrats known as "The Squad" -- Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York; Ilhan Omar of Minnesota; Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts; and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

The four congresswomen and other Democrats and advocates have called Trump's tweets racist and xenophobic.

Trump defended his tweets during Monday's Made in America Event.

"These are people that in my opinion hate our country," he said, adding that it didn't concern him that white nationalists are supporting his words.

"It doesn't concern me because many people agree with me," Trump said.