Trump Would Be Better Off in a Trade War With China If the U.S. Was Part of TPP

When the history of the Trump presidency is written, one of the thickest chapters will almost certainly be the one on trade.Donald Trump took office promising to strike better trade deals for the U.S., and within days of being sworn in made good on a campaign promise by withdrawing from the Trans Pacific Partnership. But this week as he dispatches senior economic aides to China, it should also be clear that there is a lot more maneuvering going on than tweets, sound bites and possible trade wars might suggest.Earlier this month the president signaled that he might be interested in rejoining TPP, something he then subsequently distanced himself from. But before the idea slides completely out of public view, it is worth noting that rejoining the trade pact is not only a good idea for economic reasons, it is also one of best strategic options available for limiting China's influence and ensuring that the world's democracies drive the world's economy.  Continue reading...