Hackers suspected to be affiliated with the Chinese state broke into the systems of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), an industry group for U.S. manufacturers, in the summer of 2019. A cybersecurity firm hired by NAM assessed that the cyberattack was conducted out of China based on the usage of tools and techniques previously associated with known Chinese hacking groups. While NAM stated that no data was compromised, Reuters reported that the hackers targeted information related to a meeting between President Trump and NAM President Jay Timmons ahead of potential trade talks between the United States and China. Reuters further reports that, under the Trump administration, NAM greatly influenced trade talks with Beijing and had close ties with the White House, helping American officials attend public events in manufacturing plants across the country.