Trump Signs Executive Order to Pull Out of Trans-Pacific

Local Editor

President Donald Trump moved to pull the United States out of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact Monday, dealing a quick blow to Barack Obama's legacy as the new chief executive began fulfilling campaign promises in his first full week in office.

"Great thing for the American worker that we just did," Trump said in brief remarks as he signed a notice in the Oval Office.

The president also signed memorandums freezing most federal government hiring, though he noted an exception for the military, and reinstating a ban on providing federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option. The regulation, known as the "Mexico City Policy," has been a political volleyball, instituted by Republican administrations and rescinded by Democratic ones since 1984.

Following a tumultuous first weekend in office - consumed by Trump's criticism of the media's inauguration coverage and his spokesman's angry, inaccurate tirade against journalists - the president was seeking to refocus on the sweeping, yet often vague, promises he made as a candidate. He campaigned as a fierce opponent of multilateral trade agreements, particularly the 12-nation Pacific Rim deal.

The deal was the cornerstone of Obama's attempt to counter China's influence in Asia. The Obama administration labored for years to finalize the TPP. But Obama's own Democratic Party was skeptical of the pact, and the former president never sent it to Congress for ratification.

The president spent much of the day reaching out to lawmakers and others with a stake in his economic policies. Congressional leaders from both parties attended an evening reception at the White House. The president also met with union leaders and workers.

He began the day huddling with business leaders. He warned that he would impose a "substantial border tax" on companies that move their manufacturing out of the United States. He also promised tax advantages to companies that produce products domestically. "All you have to do is stay," he said during a meeting in the White House's Roosevelt Room.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin were among the executives who attended the meeting.

The gathering kicked off a jam-packed day for the new president, including an evening reception with lawmakers from both parties and a sit-down with union leaders. Trump ran for office pledging to overhaul US trade policy, arguing that massive free-trade agreements have disadvantaged American workers.

Since winning the White House, he's aggressively called out companies that have moved factories overseas, vowing to slap taxes on products they then try to sell in the US.

"Some people say that's not free trade, but we don't have free trade now," Trump said Monday. The president also reiterated his campaign pledge to lower taxes for companies, as well as the middle class, "anywhere from 15 to 25 percent," although Trump has not been clear on how he intends to make up for the lost tax revenue. He also called for cutting 75 percent of federal regulations - and insisted that doing so would not compromise worker safety.

The decision to ban foreign aid to groups that lobby in support of abortion rights is certain to deepen concern among already apprehensive US family planning and women's rights organizations.

Stenny Hoyer, a Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, sharply criticized Trump for using his first week in office "to attack women's health."

Meanwhile, the White House is moving forward with plans to give what it describes as a more "diverse group of journalists" a chance to ask questions at briefings.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in his first White House news conference that, beginning later this week, the White House will designate four "Skype seats" in the White House briefing room.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team