Trump Slams the TPP Deal, but Hires Men Who Lobbied for It

Donald Trump, the Republican presumptive presidential nominee who publicly opposes the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement, has hired several lobbyists and political consultants who lobbied for and support the agreement, The Intercept website reported Thursday.

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The Intercept found that at least four employees in the Trump campaign used to lobby for the TPP agreement and have been outspoken about their support for the deal.

One of these is David Urban, who now serves as the deputy director of the Trump campaign’s GOP convention team. Urban had lobbied on behalf of Time Warner, the parent company of CNN, in support of the TTP, according to The Intercept, who cited disclosed records by the campaign.

Tony Fabrizio, who was hired as the Trump campaign pollster in May, lobbied for the TPP on behalf of several clients.

According to The Intercept, Fabrizio Lee's consulting firm, which he co-founded, provides strategic consulting to the Emergency Committee for American Trade, an advocacy group that has aggressively touted the TPP trade deal.

Doug Davenport, who has been with the Trump campaign since April and is in charge of lobbying delegates, was hired by the Japanese government in order to gain support for the TPP within the U.S. congress.

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Last but not least is Alex Castellanos, who is working as a consultant for the largest pro-Trump Super PAC, Rebuilding America Now. According to The Intercept, Castellanos, who was once a critic of Trump, is the founder of several consulting firms that “have long provided consulting for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the corporate trade association that has taken the lead role in promoting the TPP.”

To put the TPP issue in perspective in terms of this year’s U.S. presidential elections, both presumptive nominees Hillary Clinton and Trump publicly denounce the TPP agreement while taking actions in favor of it.

Clinton, just like Trump, has surrounded herself with and been receiving big sums of money from members of the wealthy U.S. and global elites who promote and benefit from the TPP as well as other controversial free trade agreements.