President-elect Trump may put his own stamp on TPP

Although President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly said he was against the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) during the presidential campaign, a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources expert says he may moderate his position once he is in office, reported Julia Mitric on Capital Public Radio.

"The Trans-Pacific Partnership is an attack on America's business. It does not stop Japan's currency manipulation. This is a bad deal," Trump was quoted in a 2015 article on CNN.com. TPP was negotiated by the Obama Administration, but is stalled in Congress.

Director of the UC ANR Agricultural Issues Center, Daniel Sumner, said Trump may want to put his own stamp on the deal, and not stop it altogether.

Daniel Sumner, director of UC ANR's Agricultural Issues Center.

"I can imagine President Trump asking for a delay on that until he renegotiates parts of it," Sumner said. "And if he can renegotiate what he considers a better deal, great, and he may well be very instrumental in getting such a thing through Congress."

Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, was also quoted in the story. He predicted Trump will consider the merits of TPP. 

"If he's such a good businessman, he will see this is a good deal," Wenger said.

Sumner added, "When there's trade, both sides benefit. Otherwise you don't trade."

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