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Secretary of State nominee breaks rank on TPP with President-elect

Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson says he’s not against the recently negotiated Trans Pacific Partnership.

During his confirmation hearing, Tillerson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he does not oppose TPP.  “I share some of his views regarding whether the agreement that was negotiated serves all of America’s interests best,” he says.

As for NAFTA – the North American Free Trade Agreement – Tillerson said President-elect Trump says the agreement has been in place for decades and needs an update.  “I think president Pena Nieto of Mexico has indicated perhaps it needs a relook,” he says.  “We’re in a different era now – both in terms of the type of trade and technology – but also, the global trading environment has change.”

Trump has vowed to follow through on his campaign promise to withdraw the U.S. from the TPP trade agreement.

Several agricultural groups say the trade agreement would level the playing for US agriculture and opens markets in a region of the world that accounts for nearly 40 percent of global Gross Domestic Product.