President Donald Trump trumpeted American-made goods at the White House this week — and put in a plug for a Minnesota pillow company while he was at it.

"Very good," the president said of the MyPillow resting before him at a Made in America business roundtable at the White House on Wednesday afternoon — one of several events staged at the White House last week to highlight American-made goods.

Trump said he'd taken several MyPillows home after meeting company founder Mike Lindell during the campaign. In a testimonial straight out of a MyPillow infomercial, the president added: "I've slept so much better ever since."

The administration's theme weeks have been mocked as political theater, disconnected from actual legislative or policy work — remember Infrastructure Week? While the White House was attempting to focus attention on feel-good issues — American-made guitars and baseball bats and the Texas-made Stetson the president modeled for the cameras — the GOP's effort to undo the Affordable Care Act was stalling out in the Senate and the White House press secretary was about to resign.

But for the companies invited to the White House, there was value in grabbing a slice of the national spotlight to talk about the rewards and challenges that come with keeping their manufacturing operations in the United States.

The century-and-a-half-old Faribault Woolen Mill displayed its wares in the White House on Monday, to the company's tweeted delight: "What an honor to be invited to the White House for the Made in America Product Showcase."

On Wednesday, Lindell sat at the president's right hand and shared his experience battling cheap overseas knockoffs. Afterward, Lindell — whose company has had a rough few months of lawsuits, layoffs, and an F rating from the Better Business Bureau — said he trusts American consumers to seek out genuine American-made goods.

"When I met [President Trump] at a meeting last August, he told me it was his passion and heart … to bring the jobs back," Lindell said afterward. "After today? Our president and this administration is here to help, and they're going to help. It's going to be the most amazing thing."

Lindell's ties to Trump have fueled speculation that he might harbor political ambitions of his own, but Lindell laughed the idea off. He can do more good, he said, through his business and his nonprofit work.



Jennifer Brooks • 202-662-7452

jennifer.brooks@startribune.com

Twitter: @stribrooks