On day 100 Trump signed an EO critical of the WTO. This follows 100 days of complaints. This is really unfortunate.

     Trump’s recent trade complaints target China, Canada, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, the EU and now to the entire rules-based system of treaties, institutions, and dispute resolution.

      The remarks accompanying this recent Executive Order by Wilbur Ross were totally unfounded. The Trump / Ross attack on the dispute resolution system is totally baffling.

    The US was the primary architect of the dispute resolution system and the primary user of it. The US has brought more cases and won more cases than any other country. Why condemn the dispute resolution system? It has succeeded better than anyone could have imagined. This is the way to resolve disputes. The US has been really successful.

What’s the point? Attacking the entire system? Yes. Trump’s trade policy gets dumber and more dangerous by the day, more inconsistent and more dysfunctional.

• “Wilbur Ross Statement on Executive Order on WTO.” White House (April 28, 2017);
• “Executive Order on Trade Agreements.” While House (April 29, 2017).