Rand Paul seemed to have stunned both the moderator and Donald Trump
Rand Paul called out both the moderator and Donald Trump for their ignorance as they discussed the Trans Pacific Partnership. The exchange is fascinating.
Gerard Baker: The the deal, as you say, the terms of the deal were published –were published just last week, the details, 5,000 pages of it, and 80 percent of U.S. trade with countries in the Pacific, these countries, these 11 countries, is actually tariff-free, and these — the trade deal only affects the other 20 percent. Which — are there particular parts of the deal that you think were badly negotiated?
Donald Trump: Yes. Well, the currency manipulation they don’t discuss in the agreement, which is a disaster. If you look at the way China and India and almost everybody takes advantage of the United States — China in particular, because they’re so good. It’s the number-one abuser of this country. And if you look at the way they take advantage, it’s through currency manipulation. It’s not even discussed in the almost 6,000-page agreement. It’s not even discussed.
Gerard Baker: There was a separate, separate.
Donald Trump: And as you understand, I mean, you understand very well from the Wall Street Journal, currency manipulation is the single great weapon people have. They don’t even discuss it in this agreement. So I say, it’s a very bad deal, should not be approved. If it is approved, it will just be more bad trade deals, more loss of jobs for our country. We are losing jobs like nobody’s ever lost jobs before. I want to bring jobs back into this country.
Rand Paul: Hey, Gerard, you know, we might want to point out China is not part of this deal.
Gerard Baker: True. It’s true.
Maria Bartiromo: That’s right. That’s right.
Rand Paul: Before we get a little bit off-kilter here…
Laughter!!!!!