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Trump Moves Aggressively to Recast US Trade Relations

Rob Garver

   Following two victories on trade--the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and
   the Phase One deal with China--PresidentDonaldTrump is moving
   aggressively to recastU.S.trade relations with other nations.

   In an appearance at the World Economic Forum this week, he swept aside
   the consensus plan to focus on climate change, instead bringing his own
   agenda to Davos that included a surprise conversation with the head of
   the World Trade Organization.

   The WTO's policymaking apparatus has been paralyzed in recent years by
   internal disagreements, and earlier this year the Trump administration
   crippled its enforcement arm as well by blocking the appointment of new
   judges to the panel that rules on trade disputes.

   Meeting with Azevedo

   On Wednesday, though, Trump summoned WTO Director-General Roberto
   Azevedo to an unscheduled meeting in Davos, and then convened anews
   conference in which he announced that they had discussed unspecified
   changes to the organization that the president described as "very
   dramatic."

   The president added, "We're talking about a whole new structure for the
   deal or we'll have to do something."

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