Why the US and the WTO should part ways

The US embrace of power politics in the trade arena violates both the letter and spirit of the WTO’s General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, undermining the integrity of the multilateral trading system. This column suggests that such violations are unlikely to cease in the foreseeable future. Bipartisan consensus in the US favours a toothless WTO, a position at odds with most WTO members. If the US continues to disregard its obligations, the best option for preserving the credibility of the WTO would see the US withdraw from the Agreement.