TPP negotiator joins Trump White House

Trump’s new special assistant on international trade, investment and development on the National Economic Council once helped guide negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Andrew Quinn, a former deputy chief negotiator of the TPP who was hired by the agency as deputy assistant USTR in 2012, joined the council on Monday.  [Adam Behsudi| February 28, 2016 |Politico]…

Jeff Ferry Published on The Hill: However you measure it, free trade agreements have failed

Washington’s latest trade controversy has blown up over a dispute over differing sets of statistics for measuring our foreign trade. Trump administration officials are advocating for wider use of export/import measures that exclude pass-through goods, while Commerce Department officials advocate the older measures, total exports and total imports. by Jeff Ferry, appears on The Hill The newer…

ROSS’ SIDE PROJECT: MAKE AMERICA FIRST ON SEAFOOD

Wilbur Ross is expected to emerge as the Trump administration’s leading voice on trade after the Senate votes tonight to confirm him as Commerce Department secretary. He’s already singled out a surprising pet project: Reducing America’s reliance on seafood imports.  [Megan Cassella| February 27, 2016 |Politico] “Given the enormity of our coastlines, given the enormity of our…

Exclusive: Trump calls Chinese ‘grand champions’ of currency manipulation

President Donald Trump declared China the “grand champions” of currency manipulation on Thursday, just hours after his new Treasury secretary pledged a more methodical approach to analyzing Beijing’s foreign exchange practices. [Steve Holland and David Lawder| February 24 2016 |Reuters]  In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Trump said he has not “held back” in his assessment that…