President Donald J. Trump on Thursday evening cheered a new $3.5 billion investment in American manufacturing. He shared on Truth Social that Eli Lilly and Company had broken ground on a plant in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. The plant will make next-generation obesity medicines.

The president’s post repeated the company’s announcement: “Lilly breaks ground in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley on a $3.5 billion site to make next-generation obesity medicines, the latest of 10 new U.S. sites since 2020.” It included a link to the company’s news release.

According to Lilly, the plant in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, is expected to create 850 high-wage jobs for engineers, scientists, operations workers and lab technicians. It is also expected to bring about 2,000 construction jobs while the site is built. The company said the plant should be up and running by 2031.

The site is part of the company’s $50 billion push to make more medicine in the United States. Lilly said it is one of 10 new U.S. manufacturing sites announced since 2020. It is one of four built for medicines given by injection and the devices used to give them. It will add room to make retatrutide, an experimental once-a-week treatment the company is testing in several Phase 3 trials.

Sen. Dave McCormick, Republican of Pennsylvania, welcomed the project. “Lilly’s $3.5 billion investment in the Lehigh Valley is another major win for Pennsylvania, bringing 850 high-paying jobs, strengthening American manufacturing, and cementing the Commonwealth’s position as a leader in life sciences and innovation,” he said in a statement released by the company. “When I talk about building a pro-growth environment in Pennsylvania, this is the type of investment I am working to attract.”

Mr. McCormick was in Washington on Thursday while the Senate was in session, according to The Center Square, which reported on the ceremony.

David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chair and chief executive, said in the release, “This $3.5 billion investment means we’ll be able to make these medicines in Pennsylvania for people here at home and around the world.”

Lilly also said it would give up to $1 million over five years to the Upper Macungie Township Community Fund. The money will pay for a new program on nutrition, access to fresh food and healthy living for Lehigh Valley families.

The groundbreaking is the latest in a string of manufacturing announcements the president has promoted. In an interview earlier on Thursday, he pointed to planned plants by Audi and Toyota. He said, “There’s never been anything like what’s happening in our country right now.”