Trump takes power
What happened
President Trump moved swiftly to erase his predecessor’s legacy and assert his own priorities following his inauguration last Friday ( see page 22). First the White House website was scoured of all mentions of climate change and gay rights. Then, in his first executive order, Trump directed government agencies to scale back as much of President Obama’s signature healthcare reforms as possible, in preparation for the law’s repeal. Other directives followed, limiting federal hiring, banning the distribution of federal aid to foreign charities that offer abortion services, and restricting immigration.
Trump also withdrew the US from the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) and announced plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta); to give the green light to two controversial oil pipelines; to start the border wall between the US and Mexico; and to develop a “state-of-the-art” missile defence system to protect against attacks from North Korea and Iran. Theresa May was due to visit Trump in Washington this Friday, making her the first foreign leader to meet America’s 45th president.
What the editorials said
“It is a long time since an American president rejected the benefits of free trade,” said The Independent. Yet Trump made no bones about it in his inauguration speech. “Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength,” he declared. The clear lesson of history, though, is that “it merely impoverishes all equally”. Pulling the US out of the TPP is particularly counterproductive, said USA Today. The deal was “America’s best hope of expanding its influence in Asia and limiting the influence of China, which is not part of the pact”. The remaining 11 nations will now have to decide whether to ratify the deal on their own or join an alternative pact being touted by Beijing; “one that puts China at its centre”.
For all Trump’s harsh words about multilateral trade deals, the White House has welcomed the idea of a bilateral trade pact with the UK, said The Times. Such a deal would lend credence to Trump’s claim that he wants to strengthen America’s existing alliances, and help bolster his image as a “dealmaker”. There is talk of a US-UK agreement being signed within 90 days of Brexit. It’s a good opportunity for the UK, but we should enter such negotiations with our eyes wide open. Trump is “known for deals that work not to mutual advantage but to his own”.