Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming To Be Made in America
Signed: March 13, 2026
Published: March 18, 2026
Document Number: 2026-05383
šSummary
This executive order directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other federal agencies to step up efforts to stop false or misleading āMade in Americaā and similar claims, especially in online shopping. It affects manufacturers, sellers, and online marketplaces that advertise U.S.-made products, as well as federal contractors and vendors selling goods to the U.S. Government. The FTC is told to prioritize enforcement cases and to consider rules that could treat an online marketplaceās failure to verify country-of-origin claims as deceptive. Agencies are also encouraged to align guidance on voluntary U.S. origin labeling, and procurement agencies must regularly verify āBuy Americanā claimsāremoving misrepresented products from government purchasing and referring violators to the Justice Department for possible False Claims Act action.
š¼Business Impact
This order most affects consumer product brands and sellers (especially e-commerce/DTC), online marketplaces, importers/private-label retailers, and any company selling into federal contracts (MAS/IDIQ) where āMade in USA/Buy Americanā claims are used in listings or proposals. Expect stepped-up FTC enforcement and likely new marketplace compliance expectationsābusinesses should be prepared to substantiate U.S.-origin claims with documented supply-chain evidence (component sourcing, manufacturing steps, and labeling/marketing approvals), while marketplaces may need formal verification procedures to avoid being deemed deceptive. It also creates an opportunity for truly U.S.-made manufacturers to differentiate, but raises risk of delistings, contract removal, and False Claims Act exposure for government vendors if origin is misrepresented. Immediate actions: audit every āMade in USA/American-madeā claim across ads, product pages, packaging, and bids; tighten supplier contracts and traceability (COOs, bills of materials, manufacturing records); and for marketplace sellers/government contractors, implement a pre-publication verification checklist and rapid takedown/correction process for any unsubstantiated origin claims.
Full Text
Executive Order 14392 of March 13, 2026
Ensuring Truthful Advertising of Products Claiming To Be Made in America
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1 . Policy. Americans have a right to clear, accurate, substantiated, and accessible information regarding whether products advertised as “Made in America” are actually made in the United States. Protecting American consumers against fraudulent American-origin claims also benefits businesses that invest in American manufacturing and products.
Yet in the age of the modern digital marketplace, foreign manufacturers and sellers represent that their products are made in the United States to target patriotic consumers when, in fact, those products are largely produced and manufactured in other countries. Americans routinely rely on sellers' “Made in America” or similar American-origin advertising when purchasing products from digital marketplaces. But American businesses building, growing, and manufacturing all, or virtually all, aspects of their products onshore are entitled to the undiluted branding benefits that come with supporting the American economy, and American citizens attempting to buy American products should have certainty as to what American-origin claims mean.
Sec. 2 . Implementation. (a) The Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shall, wherever appropriate, prioritize enforcement actions in cases in which a seller's or manufacturer's claim that a product is “Made in America” or “Made in the U.S.A.”, or any similar American-origin claims, constitutes a violation of law. In determining whether such claims constitute a violation of law, including an unfair or deceptive act or practice, the FTC shall, as needed, consult with other executive departments and agencies (agencies) with subject-matter expertise with respect to the relevant products.
(b) The FTC shall consider issuing proposed regulations providing that the failure of an online marketplace to establish procedures for verifying country-of-origin claims may constitute an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
(c) In consultation with the Chairman of the FTC, all agencies with oversight of country-of-origin labeling shall consider promulgating regulations that promote voluntary country-of-origin labeling for products made or manufactured in the United States. Such agencies shall consult with one another, as appropriate, to ensure that American businesses receive consistent guidance on voluntary country-of-origin labeling.
(d) All agencies overseeing Government-wide acquisition contracts, any Multiple Award Schedule, or any other Government-wide indefinite delivery, indefinite-quantity contracts shall periodically review and verify any “Buy American Act”, “Country of Origin USA”, or similar American-origin claims for products acquired through these contracts. For any contractors or vendors found to misrepresent an American-origin status of any product sold to the Government, the relevant agency shall remove the products from Government procurement availability and refer the relevant contractors or vendors to the Department of Justice, which may pursue actions under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. 3729 et seq.). ( printed page 13202)
Sec. 3 . General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Federal Trade Commission.
THE WHITE HOUSE,
March 13, 2026.