Jeb Bush presidential campaign, 2016/International trade

	; ; Former presidential candidate; Jeb Bush
	Political offices: ; Former governor of Florida; (1999-2007)
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Jeb Bush suspended his presidential campaign on February 20, 2016.^[1]

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This page was current as of the 2016 election.

On November 5, 2015, Jeb Bush said he disagreed with the Obama administration’s decision to potentially reject a bilateral trade agreement with the United Kingdom if it left the European Union. “Great Britain is a sovereign nation, and they must make this decision about their relationship with Europe on their own. The U.S. should not be putting a thumb on the scale and certainly shouldn’t bully an ally. That said, as President, if Great Britain made that decision of course the U.S. would work with them on a trade agreement,” Bush said.^[2]

In an interview on Iowa Public Radio, October 15, 2015, Bush said he would support "trade with Cuba when Cuba is free. The difference between China and Cuba is China has huge economic opportunities for us. Cuba is a country of 11 million people, impoverished, and it's a dictatorship. Any efforts taken by the Obama administration right now has not gotten anything in return."^[3]

In an April 22, 2015, op-ed, Jeb Bush criticized Hillary Clinton for calling the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal the "gold standard" while she was secretary of state and cooling "her enthusiasm considerably" as a presidential candidate. He wrote, "Sec. Clinton’s campaign said trade agreements have to pass fresh tests and even greater scrutiny — and among the issues she raised were elements like currency manipulation that the Obama Administration have said were 'poison pills' that would kill the negotiation. So much for the gold standard. These new reservations are conveniently timed. Sec. Clinton wavered on support for trade the last time she ran for President as well. It seems Secretary Clinton thinks we have a short memory."^[4]

In the same op-ed, Bush expressed his support for the TPP. He wrote, "I know there is political risk in supporting free trade. TPP is President Obama’s biggest trade initiative. I know some political constituencies in my own political party don’t favor it. But I agree with what Hillary Clinton said about TPP in 2012: This is a great deal for America. It would strengthen our ties to our allies throughout the Pacific region, including our close allies and partners in Australia, Mexico and Japan. We could use more friends, frankly. More than that, free trade is essential to creating the sustained, high rate of growth that we need to create well-paying jobs, new opportunities for American farmers and businesses, and even greater access to a global supply of goods and services."^[4]

In 2012, Jeb Bush criticized President Barack Obama for not signing trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea earlier. He said, "President Obama missed several opportunities early in his administration to secure quick passage of trade agreements with Colombia and Panama which together will create thousands of jobs here in Florida."^[5]

In 2006, Bush worked to secure a free-trade agreement with Peru. According to the Herald Tribune, Bush "led a trade mission of Florida business leaders...to Peru after a one-day stop in Ecuador to promote the U.S.-proposed, hemisphere-wide trading bloc and to establish direct business ties with his state."^[6]

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