Ex-Clinton economic adviser: Previous administrations could have ‘done more’ on trade

A former economic adviser to President Clinton on Monday said that President Trump isn’t entirely to blame for trade disputes between the U.S. and some top allies.

Martin Neil Baily, who served the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Clinton, told Hill.TV that he thinks previous administrations could have done more to make better trade deals.

{mosads}”I do think previous administrations maybe could have done more in terms of the trade deals,” Baily told “Rising” co-hosts Krystal Ball and Buck Sexton.

Baily pointed to deals with China as a prime example, noting issues that arose when China became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001.  

“I think when China was invited to the WTO that maybe there should have been provisions that phased in so we didn’t get that rather quick loss of jobs in manufacturing in the U.S.,” Baily said.

Baily went on to praise Trump for his hard-line trade policies against China.

“Taking the tough line with China, intellectual property … I think that’s a good idea, so I’m not criticizing everything that’s being done,” Baily said.

But the economist doesn’t necessarily approve of all of Trump’s trade approach.

Baily said he would give Trump “a C+” on the economy, saying that his overall approach on trade “is terrible.”

“Trump’s approach on trade is terrible,” Baily said. “He has insulted our allies, and that’s not a good idea.”

The impact of China’s entry into the WTO has been heavily debated.

Trump said the country’s entry into the World Trade Organization was a mistake and claimed that the U.S. has lost more than 60,000 factories as a result. 

Manufacturing jobs in the U.S. have been on the decline over the past several decades.

Overall, employment in manufacturing remains at its lowest level since before the U.S. entered World War II.

— Tess Bonn