Real estate mogul and businessman Donald Trump is jumping into the debate over the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and the authority to fast-track the deal – calling it a "bad, bad deal" and slamming President Barack Obama and Republicans who support it.
The six-figure radio ad,
posted by the Daily Caller Wednesday and paid for by the group Americans for Limited Government, will begin running Thursday in New Hampshire and South Carolina, and go national on Monday,
the Daily Caller reports.
"While I'm a Republican, right now, some in the Republican Party are working overtime to hand more power to President Obama," Trump proclaims. "These same people are turning their backs on the American workers and businesses. It's unbelievable."
The Trans-Pacific Partnership was drafted and signed in 2005, but other countries began negotiating for inclusion after that and now 12 are working to come to an agreement that would, according to the
Office of the United States Trade Representative, "boost U.S. economic growth, support American jobs, and grow Made-in-America exports to some of the most dynamic and fastest growing countries in the world.
Republicans are aligning themselves with Obama on the bill, over which the president will have "fast-track" authority, which means Congress wouldn't be able to amend it.
"I learned a long time ago, a bad deal is far worse than no deal at all," Trump declares in the ad. "And the Obama Trans-Pacific Partnership and fast-track are a bad, bad deal for American businesses, for workers, for taxpayers. It's a huge set of handouts for a few insiders that don't even care about our great, great America.
"Congress has to stand up and defeat this raw power grab. With the dismal Obama track record, why should a Republican Congress give him more power and gut the Constitution to do it? It's just crazy. Tell your congressmen and senators, vote no on fast-track."
The 12 countries involved in the deal include the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
Trump, exploring a possible bid for the White House, tells the Daily Caller the push illustrates that "yet again, the politicians are allowing our president to reinforce the lack of respect countries like China and Japan now have for the United States."
"They will devalue their currency, exploit our trade agreements, continue to destroy our economy and put Americans out of work. Politicians are all talk and no action."
Trump tells the Daily Caller that instead of fast-tracking the trade deal, "Congress should pass legislation that holds China and Japan accountable for currency manipulation."
"This would send a message to the world that there are consequences for cheating the United States."
Some Democrats also don't like the deal,
according to Politico.
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