Trump’s Plan To Boost The US Economy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio officially launched the first meeting of the Economic Diplomacy Action Group (EDAG) on Wednesday, signaling a renewed push to use America’s economic strength to advance U.S. foreign policy while creating new opportunities for American workers and businesses. The initiative also reflects the Trump administration’s focus on strengthening U.S. competitiveness in artificial intelligence, global trade, and strategic investment.
Although the Economic Diplomacy Action Group was formally established during the Biden administration, Rubio is now overseeing its first official meeting as the organization begins carrying out its mission under President Trump’s leadership.
According to a State Department official, EDAG will help coordinate economic policy across multiple federal agencies to promote American business interests overseas while encouraging investment and job growth at home.
The official said the group will leverage the full range of federal programs and economic development tools to create conditions that benefit U.S. companies, generate employment opportunities for American workers, attract new investment into the United States, and reinforce America’s leadership in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Which Federal Agencies Are Participating?
The inaugural meeting brings together senior leaders from across the federal government, highlighting a coordinated effort to align economic policy with national security and foreign policy objectives.
Participating agencies include:
- Department of State
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Energy
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Defense
- Department of the Treasury
- Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
- Export-Import Bank of the United States
- U.S. International Development Finance Corporation
- U.S. Trade and Development Agency
- Small Business Administration
- Millennium Challenge Corporation
- White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Officials say the collaboration is intended to ensure that trade, investment, technology, manufacturing, and diplomacy all work together to strengthen America’s economic position around the world.
Why the Economic Diplomacy Action Group Matters
The Economic Diplomacy Action Group was created to give the federal government a more unified approach to supporting American businesses in international markets.
Rubio has long supported that goal. While serving in the Senate, he co-sponsored the Championing American Business through Diplomacy Act of 2019, legislation designed to improve government support for U.S. companies competing overseas and strengthen America’s commercial competitiveness.
That legislation eventually became the foundation for EDAG.
Former President Joe Biden officially established the group through a presidential memorandum signed in June 2024, designating the secretary of state as its chair. With Rubio now leading its first meeting, the organization begins a new chapter under the Trump administration.
AI and Economic Competition Take Center Stage
One of EDAG’s top priorities will be expanding America’s leadership in artificial intelligence, an industry increasingly viewed as essential to economic growth and national security.
Administration officials see AI as a critical driver of future innovation, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and military readiness. Strengthening American leadership in emerging technologies while reducing dependence on foreign competitors is expected to remain a central focus of the administration’s broader economic strategy.
The initiative also comes as the United States continues competing with China for leadership in advanced technology, supply chains, manufacturing, and global investment. Supporters argue that stronger coordination between federal agencies can help American businesses compete more effectively in an increasingly competitive global economy.
Rubio Continues to Take on Key Leadership Roles
Leading the Economic Diplomacy Action Group is the latest addition to Rubio’s expanding responsibilities since President Trump returned to the White House.
In addition to serving as secretary of state, Rubio was appointed acting national security adviser, becoming the first person to simultaneously hold both positions since former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger did so in the early 1970s.
Trump also named Rubio acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) before the agency was effectively shut down in 2025. Rubio later served as acting archivist for the National Archives and Records Administration after the previous archivist was dismissed, although he stepped down from that temporary position in February.
What Rubio’s New Economic Strategy Means for American Workers
Supporters say the launch of the Economic Diplomacy Action Group represents a renewed effort to put American workers and businesses at the center of U.S. foreign policy.
By coordinating the work of multiple federal agencies, the administration hopes to expand export opportunities, attract private investment, strengthen domestic manufacturing, encourage innovation, and help American companies compete more effectively around the world.
Whether the initiative delivers measurable long-term results remains to be seen. However, Rubio’s first EDAG meeting signals that the Trump administration intends to make economic diplomacy a major pillar of its agenda, using America’s economic strength to promote national security, technological leadership, and long-term economic growth while supporting businesses and workers across the country.
