Donald Trump Is Staffing His Administration with TPP SupportersPresident-elect Donald Trump railed against the Trans-Pacific Partnership on his way to winning the White House and has vowed immediately to withdraw the U.S. from the 12-nation accord.
Several of his cabinet picks and other early nominees to top posts, however, have endorsed or spoken favorably about the trade pact, including Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, announced Wednesday as Mr. Trump’s pick for ambassador to China, and retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, Mr. Trump’s pick to head the Department of Defense.
At a summer conference of U.S. governors, Mr. Branstad said the TPP was “very important to Iowa” given the role it would play opening up more markets to U.S. agricultural exports.
“It’s not perfect … but let’s continue to build on breaking down these barriers in opening up markets,” he said. “We benefit. We create jobs. And we grow farm income. That’s a positive thing, and that’s why I’m a strong supporter of free trade and the TPP.”
Gen. Mattis joined 16 other retired military leaders and former defense secretaries in a May 2015 letter to congressional leaders that said TPP would help the U.S. maintain a geopolitical advantage in Asia.
“There would be harmful strategic consequences if we fail to secure these agreements,” the letter said. “Our allies and partners would question our commitments, doubt our resolve, and inevitably look to other partners.”
Another signatory to that letter: David Petraeus, the retired general who ran the Central Intelligence Agency and who has been considered by Mr. Trump for secretary of state. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., also considered candidates for the secretary of state post, have supported the TPP.
“Every nominee that will be put forward by the Trump Pence administration understands that trade deals must first create an advantage for American workers and American companies,” said R.C. Hammond, a spokesman for the Trump transition team.
Wilbur Ross Jr., Mr. Trump’s nominee for Commerce secretary, has been extremely critical of the TPP in recent interviews, but he signed a letter in support of the agreement last year to the New York congressional delegation.
Mr. Ross signaled his support for TPP as recently as a May appearance on Bloomberg TV, according to a report by CNN Money.
“I like the TPP,” he said. “But I think also the rhetoric that everybody has in campaigns is usually quite a bit different from what comes out of the Washington negotiations.”
On Fox Business Network last week, Mr. Ross said the agreement was flawed and ruled out any prospect that it might be revived in a Trump administration. “That’s a silly treaty,” he said.
While the cabinet and ambassador picks don’t suggest Mr. Trump will change his mind on the trade deal, they highlight potential divisions and contradictions on the issue. During the campaign, Mr. Trump repeatedly pointed to Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s past support for the TPP when she was secretary of state to undercut her later opposition to the deal after it was finalized.
“The next betrayal will be the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” he said in an August speech in Detroit. “If sent to the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton will enact the TPP as sure as you’re sitting there.”
Vice President-elect Mike Pence also supported the TPP as Indiana governor, but he said he changed his mind on the trade accord, and other multilateral deals, after he discussed the issue with Mr. Trump this past July.
(WSJ)
