Trump officially kills Trans-Pacific Partnership

President Donald Trump signed an order today officially withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with Asian nations that featured prominently on the campaign trail last year. Former President Barack Obama championed the deal, and some Republican lawmakers also supported it. But both Trump and his rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton, said they wanted to demolish it. Although Trump’s order fulfills one of his many campaign promises, it’s largely symbolic. Congress appeared unlikely to ratify the unpopular agreement. After he signed the TPP withdrawal order, Trump met with U.S. business leaders to discuss one of his top priorities: shoring up the country’s manufacturing sector. He asked them to return to Washington in 30 days with a plan. The new president reiterated threats to impose a border tax on U.S. companies that produce products in overseas factories and ship them home for sale.