A shift in U.S. trade policy that follows the outline presented today to Congress would upend the foundations of global trade as it is currently conducted. The biggest shift from the past in the approach that the administration of President Donald Trump will take is its assertion that U.S. sovereignty in trade disputes would empower it to supersede rulings made by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
At its core, the Trump trade agenda aims to return the United States to the forefront of the global system while supporting growth in the domestic jobs market. Specifically, according to a leaked copy of the report, it “reject[s] the notion that the United States can strengthen its geopolitical position by adopting trade measures” that make U.S. industries weaker globally. This represents a repudiation of the strategy pursued under President Barack Obama in which the pursuit of multilateral trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership...
