Mark Cuban isn't blaming politicians for the decline of American manufacturing jobs–he's blaming consumers. The billionaire entrepreneur said the real force behind offshoring wasn't Washington or Wall Street, but ordinary Americans who simply chose convenience and low prices over supporting domestic products.
Buying Power Matters More Than Policy
In a series of posts on X in April, Cuban emphasized that Americans have always had the power to support U.S. manufacturing through their own purchasing habits. If everyone had consistently chosen American-made goods, he argued, manufacturers would have kept operations on U.S. soil to meet that demand.
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“What percentage of the physical products that you purchased [in] the last 6 months were made in America?” Cuban asked an X user. “You do realize that EVERY AMERICAN could have chosen to buy only American-made products. Then we wouldn’t be in this position.”
To make that choice easier, Cuban invested in a startup that built a browser extension designed to highlight American-made alternatives while people shopped on Amazon. The idea was to help consumers act on their values without extra effort. Although he didn't name the company in his posts, he was likely referring to Cultivate. “No one cared,” Cuban wrote. “They had to pivot.”
Consumers Didn’t Show Up
Despite the tool’s potential to boost domestic businesses, most people ignored it. The lack of traction forced the company to shift direction, abandoning its original mission in favor of a more sustainable model.
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Cuban’s remarks were a response to a user who said they were willing to pay more for American-made products and missed the days when U.S. manufacturing supported strong wages, particularly in places like the Midwest, “prior to the manufacturing going to Mexico and overseas.”
Don’t Call For Tariffs If You’re Buying Cheap Imports
He also took aim at people who demand government intervention while making no effort to change their own spending behavior.
“If you are complaining we need tariffs to bring manufacturing and jobs to the USA, and you don’t buy American EXCLUSIVELY, YOU ARE A HYPOCRITE,” he wrote.
Instead of pointing fingers, Cuban urged people to lead by example. “You want to bring manufacturing back, lead by example and get friends and family to do the same,” he said. “Don’t wait for politicians. Use your credit card as your vote.”
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A Debate With Grant Cardone
Cuban also fired back at entrepreneur Grant Cardone, who accused him of undermining President Donald Trump.
“Why do you always blame hard working entrepreneurs who are busting their ass to live the American dream?” Cuban responded.
His broader point is that the market follows consumer behavior. If Americans keep choosing cheap imports, companies will keep sending jobs overseas. Until that changes, Cuban suggests complaints about offshoring lack weight.
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Image: Midjourney
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