Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross at the World Economic Forum in Davos (President Trump departs the U.S. tonight to attend). The attendance by Secretary Ross provides an opportunity to further enforce the position of the Trump administration regarding free, fair and reciprocal trade deals.

Believe me, the economic globalist attendees were/are entirely freaking out. There’s a panel discussion video at the bottom which will highlight the tenuous position of the multinational corporations, banks and the economic interests of the globalists. Prior to the panel Secretary Ross gave an interview to CNBC. WATCH:

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As mentioned Secretary Ross also outlined how the ‘America First’ economic policy and platform engages with the global community during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum. Generally the attendees have been historic champions of multinational corporations and multinational financial interests, ie. fans of “economic globalization”.

Wilbur Ross conveys to the larger multinational interests an explanation of the high-level shift in U.S. trade policy, and reinforces the Trump Doctrine of economic nationalism.

Secretary Ross told the panel: “The Chinese for quite a little while have been superb at free-trade rhetoric and even more superb at highly protectionist behavior. Every time the U.S. does anything to deal with a problem, we are called protectionist.”

Ross brushed off some narrow-minded global criticism about the U.S. retreating from the world stage allowing China to increase its geopolitical footprint around trade leverage. After three decades of President Trump outlining his trade views, secretary Ross accurately said President Donald Trump has a forceful leadership style that some people don’t like.

… “We don’t intend to abrogate leadership, but leadership is different from being a sucker and being a patsy. We would like to be the leader in making the world trade system more fair and more equitable to all participants.” …

Secretary Ross also challenged the panelists, including World Trade Organization Director-General Roberto Azevedo and Cargill Inc. Chief Executive Officer David MacLennan, to name a nation that’s less protectionist than the U.S.

He got no responses.

Wolverine Ross then cited a study of more than 20 products that showed China had higher tariffs on all but two items on the list, and Europe all but four.

“Before we get into sticks and stones about free trade we ought to first talk about, is there really free trade or is it a unicorn in the garden,” said Ross. {{{ZING}}} Again, no response from the panel. Despite the tariffs Trump imposed this week on solar panels and washing machines, China is hoping for a “bumper year” for new trade deals, according to China’s own Commerce Ministry.

All trade and economic wonks can join me in watching the full panel discussion in this next video. If you have time, watch it all. Wilburine was pulling no punches, and he deconstructed the ridiculous arguments brilliantly. At 14:50 you can hear a pin drop in the room to Ross’s correcting the record. Again, around 17:30 Ross bears his teeth:

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