(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) says it’s not President Trump but “the people who raised their voices” that deserve credit for the United States quitting the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement (TPP).
On Monday, President Donald Trump signed a memorandum removing the United States from TPP.
“You didn’t like TPP, are you pleased with how swiftly Mr. Trump moved on it?” CNN’s Alisyn Camerota asked Ellison on Tuesday’s New Day program.
“I'm pleased that the American people over the course of years raised up the problems with TPP and I'm glad that their voices got heard, even if it was by somebody who cynically manipulated the issue for their own political advantage,” Ellison replied.
While he wouldn't give Trump credit for ending TPP, Ellison said he gave the president credit “for being a reader of the political tea leaves.”
“Where you find points of agreement, why not give him credit for those things?” Camerota asked.
“Because - because I think that it’s the people who raised their voices over the course of years that brought about this policy. I want to give the people credit that’s what I believe in,” Ellison said.
“I understand. As you know, the way it works, the president, who is in office at the time that it happens, gets the credit,” Camerota said.
“Well, I don't necessarily agree with that,” Ellison replied.
Camerota later asked, “If your not going to give him credit for withdrawing from TPP, than how can you criticize him for then his executive order on the so called ‘Mexico City’ plan – the gag rule that you addressed?”
“Because I disagree with it. Because I think it’s a bad policy and I think that the right policy was to leave President Obama’s recision of that policy in place,” Ellison said.