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President Donald Trump says the U.S. is on the brink of something “this country has never seen” — and his much-debated tariff policy deserves credit.
Speaking at a White House Christmas reception, Trump argued that tariffs are leading to a resurgence in manufacturing, pointing to the auto industry as a prime example (1).
“Our auto industry … went to Europe, they went to Mexico, Japan – they went everywhere. They went to South Korea,” Trump said. “And now it’s the exact opposite. They’re all coming back. We’re coming of age like this country has never seen before.”
Trump mentioned Toyota, which recently announced plans to invest up to $10 billion in its US operations over the next five years (2). According to Trump, companies are increasingly choosing to build in the US to avoid tariffs.
“So they come from Germany, they come from Japan, they come from Canada. A lot of factories come because they don’t want to pay tariffs – very simple. They come and spend hundreds of billions of dollars,” he said.
The result, Trump says, could be historic economic growth.
“We have a country that is poised to have the most incredible golden years ever,” he said, adding that when factories open “by the thousands” it will mark “America’s golden age.”
To be sure, that manufacturing boom has yet to materialize. According to the Institute for Supply Management, US manufacturing activity contracted for the ninth straight month in November (3).
Still, Trump insists change will come soon.
“You’re going to see results in six months to a year. I think you’re going to see results — we’ve never had anything like that,” he said.
While Trump’s tariff policies have drawn criticism, big companies continue to see the US as one of the most reliable places to build and grow. This confidence is reflected in the scale of capital it employs – across multiple industries.
For example, Apple announced a whopping $600 billion investment in US manufacturing and workforce training (4). Johnson & Johnson plans to invest $55 billion in US manufacturing, research and development, and new technologies (5). Meanwhile, Hyundai is investing $26 billion in the US to increase auto manufacturing capacity, localize key components, and accelerate activity in future industries (6).
Legendary investor Warren Buffett has long pointed to America as a prime destination for building long-term wealth.
“America has been a great country for investors. All they have to do is sit quietly, listen to no one,” Buffett wrote in his 2023 letter to shareholders (7).
One of the easiest and most affordable ways to invest in America is through the stock market. Buffett argued that doing so does not require picking individual winners.
“In my view, for most people, the best thing to do is to own the S&P 500 index fund,” Buffett said (8). This approach gives investors exposure to 500 of America’s largest companies across a wide range of industries, providing instant diversification without the need for constant monitoring or active trading.
If you want to capitalize on that consistency, you can work with SoFi to invest in ETFs like an S&P 500 index fund. You can also pick individual stocks yourself if you feel confident about making market moves.
The platform is designed to help you learn how to invest as you go, with real-time investment news, curated content and the data you need to make smart decisions about the stocks that matter most to you. You can even create a personal watchlist based on your interests.
This DIY approach allows you to invest commission-free in stocks, index funds or ETFs you believe in. Plus, for a limited time, you can get up to $3,000 in stock when you fund a new account.
Read more: Warren Buffett used 8 solid, repeatable rules to turn $9,800 into a $150 billion fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)
Beyond stocks, real estate has long been another cornerstone of wealth development in America — one that Trump himself knows well.
Before politics, Trump made his fortune in real estate — and the asset class remains a powerful tool for building and preserving wealth. High-quality properties can generate rental income, providing a secure passive cash flow. Real estate can also serve as a hedge against inflation, as property values and rents tend to rise with the cost of living.
As Trump told Steve Forbes in 2011, “I just notice that when you have that right asset, whatever it is, including the location, it tends to do well in good times and bad times (9).
Buffett also pointed to real estate as an example of a productive, income-generating asset. In 2022, Buffett stated that if you offered him “1% of all the apartments in the country” for $25 billion, he would write you a check (10).
Of course, you don’t need $25 billion—or even to buy a single property—to invest in real estate. Crowdfunding platforms like Arrived offer an easier way to gain exposure to this income-generating asset class.
Backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, Arrived lets you invest in rental housing shares for as little as $100, all without the hassle of mowing lawns, fixing leaky faucets, or managing difficult tenants.
The process is simple: browse a curated selection of homes that have been vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, select the number of shares you want to buy and then sit back as you start receiving any positive rental income distributions from your investment.
Another option is Lightstone DIRECT, which gives accredited investors access to institutional-quality multifamily and industrial real estate – with a minimum investment of $100,000.
Founded in 1986 by David Lichtenstein, Lightstone Group is one of the largest private real estate investment firms in the US with more than $12 billion in assets under management.
Over nearly four decades, their team has delivered strong risk-adjusted performance over multiple market cycles, including a historical net IRR of 27.5% and a historical net equity multiple of 2.49x for investments made since 2004.
With Lightstone DIRECT, you get access to that proprietary transaction stream.
Here’s why: Lightstone invests at least 20% of its own capital in each deal – about four times the industry average. With its skin in the game, the firm ensures that its interests are directly aligned with those of its investors.
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@WhiteHouse (1); Toyota (2); ISM World (3); apple (4); Johnson & Johnson (5); Hyundai (6); Berkshire Hathaway (7); CNBC (8; 10); @Forbes (9)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. Offered without warranty of any kind.
