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Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton does not support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. “As of today, I am not in favor of what I have learned about it,” the former secretary of state told PBS NewsHour’s “The Rundown” on Wednesday. Clinton’s opposition to the deal represents a major break with the Obama administration and a reflects the Democratic party’s shift to the left and the changing politics of trade in both parties. While Clinton had not specifically endorsed the deal during her tenure as secretary of state, she advocated for the process that led to its creation. Her qualified distance from the accord represents a remarkable shift away from not only Obama but her husband, too, who fought to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) while he was president. The US and 10 other countries reached agreement on the deal Monday. If it passes, the TPP will be the single largest trade deal in history, involving 40 percent of the world’s economies. Congress must decide whether or not to approve the deal, but is likely to do so. The has received strong support from Republican leaders, while Democrats, especially liberals and those with labor ties, have generally opposed it. Clinton’s top rival for her party’s presidential nomination, Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, opposes the deal. In a statement, he called it a “disastrous trade agreement designed to protect the interests of the largest multi-national corporations at the expense of workers, consumers, the environment and the foundations of American democracy.”
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