AdvaMed President and CEO Scott Whitaker [Photo courtesy of AdvaMed]
“As an industry that is primarily U.S.-based, with trade surpluses in most major markets worldwide, we look forward to working with the President and his administration to find a way to help reach his goals of leveling the playing field, addressing foreign trade barriers, and ensuring that the U.S. continues to lead the world in medical innovation and patient care,” Whitaker said on LinkedIn after the ruling came down.
“As we move forward, it is essential that America’s medtech companies have the certainty and stability we need to invest, innovate and supply U.S. patients with the timely, cost-effective medical technologies they need,” he continued.
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Whitaker also said the U.S. medical device industry association anticipated Trump would find another way to levy the import taxes without congressional approval, and issued a longer statement today after the president did just that.
“The President made the case for assertive America First trade and economic policies as a centerpiece of his campaign and presidency, arguing that restoring balance, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and ensuring American dominance in critical industries are essential to long-term U.S. prosperity,” Whitaker said. “The U.S. medical technology sector is a model of the President’s vision, and, working together, we see a clear and constructive path to advance those goals.”
Previously: AdvaMed pleads its case on medical device tariffs and pitches new policies
Whitaker recommended three steps for the Trump administration, calling for a “tailored approach”:
“First, the Administration can strengthen American manufacturing by reducing tariffs on critical inputs and trade with trusted allies and security partners, lowering production costs for U.S.-based companies and unlocking further domestic investment,” he said. “Second, it can enhance national security and reinforce our resilient supply chains and U.S. regulatory frameworks to ensure that medical technologies remain anchored in trusted networks.”
Finally, Whitaker said, “we can advance the President’s goal of addressing trade imbalances by addressing unfair foreign practices and non-tariff barriers in our sector—instead of applying broad measures that risk disadvantaging a net-exporting American industry such as ours.”
January 2026: AdvaMed’s top priorities and how it’ll work with the Trump administration
