During his campaign, Donald Trump promised that withdrawing from the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal would be among his first actions.
Trump has called the TPP a “potential disaster for our country” and plans to negotiate separate trade deals with each nation. Those who will lead the negotiations include US Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer, incoming Commerce Sec. Wilbur Ross, and White House Trade Council head Peter Navarro.
Like the Affordable Care Act, the TPP was another botched “legacy” pushed by former president Barrack Obama. The 12-nation deal aimed to open trade between the US and the Pacific Rim nations, but Trump and others rightly argued that the deal was harmful to American manufacturing.
Opposition to the trade deal was one of the few areas in which Trump agreed with former rivals Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton (after she changed her mind).
Trump’s decision to withdraw will have no real effect, as the trade deal was never ratified by Congress, but the move will show world leaders that his campaign promises were more than just talk.
Our new president has also stated that he plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. “We are going to start renegotiating on NAFTA, on immigration, and on security at the border,” said Trump on Sunday.
Editor’s note: I”m not sure anyone knows the contents and ramifications of the TPP. I am sure that after the debacle that is the Iran agreement, nobody would or should trust John Kerry’s abilities or judgement when it comes to international agreements of any kind. Better to start from scratch with someone who knows what they are doing.