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Liberal activists struggled Monday to avoid giving President Trump credit for killing the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership after he made abandoning U.S. involvement in the 12-Pacific nation trade deal one of his first official acts in office.

As much as liberals hated TPP, they were equally loathe to give him any credit for ending it, arguing instead that the deal was dead before he took office.

"Of course President Trump is giving himself credit for withdrawing from the defunct TPP, but the truth is that the deal was beaten by years of organizing from a broad, international coalition and millions of Americans who rejected corporate trade and fought against its threats to our families and our climate," said Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune.

Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, described TPP as the "moldering corpse of a deal that couldn't gain majority support in Congress," while Evan Greer, campaign director of activist group Fight for the Future, said, "The victory against the TPP belongs to the people, not to Donald Trump or any other politician."

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Organized labor groups were less dismissive of Trump's role, emphasizing that he was fulfilling a campaign promise. "With this decision, the president has taken the first step toward fixing 30 years of bad trade policies that have cost working Americans millions of good-paying jobs," said Teamsters President James P. Hoffa.

Still, their reaction was mostly grudging. "Labor including @AFTunion (& so many Dems) has been against #TPP from day 1 -glad Trump will abandon #TPP," tweeted American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued a statement on TPP's demise that did not mention Trump at all: "Last year, a powerful coalition of labor, environmental, consumer, public health and allied groups came together to stop the TPP. Today's announcement that the U.S. is withdrawing from TPP and seeking a reopening of NAFTA is an important first step toward a trade policy that works for working people."

TPP would have lowered tariffs and trade barriers among the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim nations. Getting it confirmed by Congress was a major part of former President Obama's economic agenda. He argued the deal was needed to prevent China from dominating the Pacific region economically.

Critics on the Left, including labor unions, environmental groups and others, argued the deal would benefit corporations at the expense of U.S. workers and the economy.

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It was an argument that Trump agreed with and regularly used on the campaign trail, often in language that was strong even for him.

"The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another disaster done and pushed by special interests who want to rape our country just a continuing rape of our country. It's a harsh word, but it's true," Trump said in July.

The anti-TPP argument won over many lawmakers, even a few Republicans, and the Obama administration was never able to get enough support for a proper vote. Opposition was so strong on the Left that even Democrartic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who had helped to negotiate the deal as Obama's secretary of state, eventually came out against it.

In a leaked an Oct. 6, 2015 email, Nikki Budzinski, Clinton's trade policy adviser, made clear that the main consideration behind the move was to secure union help during the election. "This will be very helpful with mobilization on the ground and support within labor during and after this primary."

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Liberals avoid giving Trump credit for TPP's demise - Washington Examiner (blog)