How Trump's tariffs have tripped up the all-American RV industry

“We got letters from 75 percent of them demanding tariff-related price increases,” explains Gray, Renegade’s materials manager. About 85% of the recreational vehicles sold in the United States are built in and around Elkhart County, making it a popular stop for politicians to tout their visions for U.S. manufacturing – including President Donald Trump, who staged a rally here last May. And yet this uniquely American manufacturing sector has been caught in the crossfire of Trump’s trade war, according to interviews with industry insiders and economists, along with data showing a steep sales decline amid rising costs and consumer prices.