We outproduce both Japan and Germany combined in manufacturing. Manufacturing is roughly 18% of GDP for each Japan and Germany, but only 12% of the USA.

Germany GDP: ~$4 trillion.

Japan GDP: ~$5 trillion.

USA GDP: ~$17 trillion.

9 * 0.18 = 1.6

17 * 0.12 = 2.0

So, as usual, Mr. Trump's ignorance is causing him to ask the wrong questions.

Now lets divide by people. For people, it's 208 million and 321 million.

The USA is getting $6355/person from manufacturing.

Germany+Japan is getting $7792/person from manufacturing.

They beat us, earning an extra 22.6% per person from manufacturing.

I just saw this. Manufacturing is a much smaller segment of USA economy though, so per-capita is a bad metric.

Maybe it would be okay if you weighted it based on % of the economy, in which case the USA would be $6355 / 0.12 = $54,441 vs 7792 / 0.18 = $43,289.

So, weighted GPD per capita, the USA comes out way ahead. And actually, the weighted GDP/cap in manufacturing for the USA is higher than the average GPD/cap of the economy overall, which is just $53,041.

Yes, as the trade surplus so aptly shows. Oh, wait..

The USA could export everything it manufactures but still run a trade deficit because Americans spend too much money on French mobile games and Bollywood films.

But your original argument was that the US doesn't compete with Germany or Japan in manufacturing, when the facts show they not only compete, America fucking decimates those countries in raw output.