Donald Trump Is Not Going to Withdraw From the WTO

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Axios reports that President Trump really, really wants to exit the World Trade Organization, the primary agreement that governs free trade throughout the world:

What we’re hearing: “He’s [threatened to withdraw] 100 times. It would totally [screw] us as a country,” said a source who’s discussed the subject with Trump. The source added that Trump has frequently told advisers, “We always get fucked by them [the WTO]. I don’t know why we’re in it. The WTO is designed by the rest of the world to screw the United States.”

There’s more about what the WTO is and how Trump’s advisors are passive-aggressively pushing back on his rants, but it’s not until the 17th paragraph that we get this:

As head of state, Trump under international law could make the notification at the WTO. But the U.S. law implementing the WTO agreements states quite plainly that withdrawal from the WTO requires an act of Congress.

Oh. So none of this matters even slightly since Congress is not going to withdraw from the WTO. It’s just another story about all the weird stuff Trump rants about in private. Someone should make a list.