Trump warns of pullout from World Trade Organisation
What you need to know:
- Mr Trump has said France and other nations hit by recent terror attacks would be subjected to “extreme” immigration checks if he is elected president.
- Trump has repeatedly called for “extreme vetting” to be put in place for such nations to protect the United States from the risk of attack.
- Trump denied the policy amounted to backing away from his previous call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration.
WASHINGTON
Republican White House nominee Donald Trump suggested on Sunday that the US could pull out of the World Trade Organisation if he is elected president.
Interviewed on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he would slap punitive taxes on firms that moved manufacturing activities abroad, citing Mexico as an example.
When show host Chuck Todd objected that such plans would be challenged at the WTO, he responded:
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll renegotiate or pull out. These trade deals are a disaster, Chuck. World Trade Organisation is a disaster.”
Meanwhile, Mr Trump has said that France and other nations hit by recent terror attacks would be subjected to “extreme” immigration checks if he is elected president.
Trump was asked in the NBC interview to expand on his proposal to suspend immigration from what he calls countries “compromised by terrorism” until vetting mechanisms are in place.
“I’m going to be coming out over the next few weeks with a number of the places,” said Mr Trump according to an excerpt of the interview.
“We have problems in Germany, and we have problems in France” — both countries rocked by fatal attacks claimed by the Islamic State group.
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“Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd asked specifically if the proposal would limit immigration from France, saying: “They have been compromised by terrorism.”
“They have totally been,” Mr Trump responded. “And you know why? It’s their own fault. Because they allowed people to come into their territory.”
The candidate has repeatedly called for “extreme vetting” to be put in place for such nations to protect the United States from the risk of attack.
Trump denied the policy amounted to backing away from his previous call for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration.
“I actually don’t think it’s a rollback. In fact, you could say it’s an expansion. I’m looking now at territory,” he said.
“People were so upset when I used the word Muslim. Oh, you can’t use the word Muslim. Remember this. And I’m okay with that because I’m talking territory instead of Muslim,” he said.
“Just remember this,” Trump said. “Our Constitution is great. But it doesn’t necessarily give us the right to commit suicide, okay?
“Now, we have a religious, you know, everybody wants to be protected. And that’s great. And that’s the wonderful part of our Constitution. I view it differently.”
