President Trump’s top economic adviser said Wednesday that despite imposing new tariffs against close allies, Trump will champion free trade during a weekend trip to Canada for a summit of the G-7 group of wealthy industrialized countries.
“I regard this as much like a family quarrel. I’m always the optimist,” Kudlow told reporters at a briefing that previewed the trip, during which Trump will have meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Don’t blame Trump, blame nations that have broken away from those conditions” of free-trade policies, Kudlow said. “Trump’s trying to fix this broken system.”
Although Trump often is characterized as a protectionist, particularly after he imposed steel and aluminum tariffs last week against Canada, Mexico, and the European Union, Kudlow said that Trump doesn’t see himself that way.
“He regards himself as a free trader,” Kudlow said. “His cause is just.”
Kudlow, who recently assumed his position at the White House, said tariffs are “a tool” for improve trade relations.
“The world trading system is a mess. it’s broken down, so far as fairness and reciprocity,” he said.
Kudlow used the briefing to praise Trump’s broader economic agenda, saying that his domestic policies released “animal spirits” powering growth in the U.S.
“The United States economy is going through a very positive transformation right now,” he said. “Lower tax rates. Rollback of regulations, the war against business is over. The war against success is over. The war against energy is over. We have now freed up the animal spirits. You can see that by the confidence indexes. We’re rolling, the U.S. economy is rolling.”
