From the article it looks like there were 5 different executives overseeing the project during an approximately 4-year time frame. This sounds like a management failure to me rather than some failure of the American workforce or ingenuity.

Interestingly, the main executive involved got in some trouble with the SEC: https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-111

"Ansell received undisclosed compensation that consisted, in part, of $280,000 in personal expenses he charged to the company."

So there may be more going on than just poor oversight...