Scoop: Trump's private threat to upend global trade

[demmiblue]

Source: Axios

President Trump has repeatedly told top White House officials he wants to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization, a move that would throw global trade into wild disarray, people involved in the talks tell Axios.

What we're hearing: “He’s [threatened to withdraw] 100 times. It would totally [screw] us as a country,” said a source who’s discussed the subject with Trump. The source added that Trump has frequently told advisers, "We always get fucked by them [the WTO]. I don’t know why we’re in it. The WTO is designed by the rest of the world to screw the United States."

Flashback: During the campaign, Trump told NBC's Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press," in July 2016: "World Trade Organization is a disaster."

Some aides have tried to explain to Trump that in their view, the U.S. does well at the WTO, given the U.S. has an army of trade lawyers and created the system:

Read more: https://www.axios.com/scoop-trumps-private-threat-to-upend-global-trade-f6ca180e-47d6-42aa-a3a3-f3228e97d715.html

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Rest of world trade big enough it will just trade around USA. And not invest.

Won't happen overnight, but it is already beginning, as new free trade agreements are being signed and negotiated.

Meantime, Chinese have stopped buying soybeans from MidWest, a $13,000,000,000 (13 billion) a year loss. They are now buying from Brazil and Canada.

Investors won't bring money to the USA because of the instability.

Tourism is down 4 to 7 %. Normally a growth industry.

Instead of developing solar power technology to export goods to the rest of the world, the US will before long be importing, if it can find anyone willing to sell.

MAGA: Making America Go Alone

[Nitram]

2. Would a credible threat to leave the WTO finally get enough Republicans off their asses and into

impeachment mode? They really do care about profits and trade, and that would cause irreparable damage to both.

[dalton99a]

3. Another very smart idea from the dumbest economics student ever

[not fooled]

4. More chaos and destruction

from the idiot with a lifelong track record of both. Geez, too bad 60 million 'Muricans were too ignorant or stupid to know or care before the election.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

5. I see President Bannon is still at the helm. nt