The Trans-Pacific Partnership is dead, at least in its current form. Republicans in Congress are increasingly talking about somehow salvaging the trade deal, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to walk away from the agreement. Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said this week he did not believe Trump’s threats to tear up trade agreements should be taken at “face value.” Politico says he also speculated that Trump may seek to negotiate bilateral deals with the other TPP countries. Meanwhile, House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chair, Representative Dave Reichert (rye-kert) of Washington State, says he is “not giving up” on TPP or possible bilateral trade deals. Reichert says the path forward is to focus on the specifics of TPP — potentially making any number of changes to the 12-nation agreement that has already been through five years of negotiations.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.