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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 24 January 2017
Trump moves to pull US out of big Asia trade deal

JULIE PACE symbolic. accepted his tendency to the White House to an- — though he noted an ex-
AP White House For Trump, the start of his first become fixated on seem- other for meetings, often ception for the military —
Correspondent full week in office amount- ingly insignificant issues, ordering aides to summon and reinstating a ban on
WASHINGTON (AP) — ed to a reset after a tumul- some privately conceded journalists from their West providing federal money
Charting a new American to international groups
course abroad, President that perform abortions or
Donald Trump withdrew provide information on
the United States from the the option. The regulation,
sweeping Trans-Pacific known as the “Mexico City
Partnership on Monday, us- Policy,” has been a politi-
ing one of his first actions cal volleyball, instituted by
in office to reject a center- Republican administrations
piece of Barack Obama’s and rescinded by Demo-
attempts to counter China cratic ones since 1984.
and deepen U.S. ties in The actions were among
Asia. the long list of steps can-
For Trump, the move was didate Trump pledged to
a fulfillment of a central take on his opening day as
campaign promise. He has president. But other “Day
repeatedly cast the 12-na- One” promises were go-
tion trade pact — which ing unfulfilled Monday, in-
was eagerly sought by U.S. cluding plans to propose
allies in Asia — as detrimen- a constitutional amend-
tal to American businesses ment imposing term limits
“Great thing for the Ameri- on members of Congress
can worker that we just and terminating Obama’s
did,” Trump said in brief executive actions defer-
remarks as he signed a no- President Donald Trump hosts a reception for House and Senate leaders in the the State Dining ring deportations for some
Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017.
tice in the Oval Office. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) people living in the U.S. il-
The Obama administration legally.
spent years negotiating the tuous weekend dominated that his focus on inaugura- Wing workspace at a mo- Spokesman Sean Spicer
Pacific Rim pact, though by his and his spokesman’s tion crowds was unhelpful ment’s notice for unsched- said Monday that Trump
the mood in Washington false statements about in- on the opening weekend uled statements and photo intended to follow through
on trade soured over time. auguration crowds and of his presidency. opportunities. In addition on his proposals, though
Obama never sent the ac- their vigorous complaints On Monday, the new presi- to his executive action on on a more extended time-
cord to Congress for rati- about media coverage dent tried to regroup. He TPP, Trump signed memo- frame to ensure maximum
fication, making Trump’s of the celebrations. While spent the day bounding randums freezing most attention for each move.
actions Monday largely Trump’s advisers have long from one ornate room of federal government hiring Yet he appeared to sug-
gest that Trump would not
move quickly — or per-
haps at all — to reinstate
deportations for young im-
migrants protected from
deportation under the
Obama administration.
Spicer said Trump’s focus
would be on people in
the U.S. illegally who have
criminal records or who
pose a threat.
“That’s where the prior-
ity’s going to be, and then
we’re going to continue
to work through the entire
number of folks that are
here illegally,” he said.
Spicer — making his first
appearance at the brief-
ing room podium since his
angry tirade against the
press on Saturday — also
appeared to back away
from Trump’s assertion that
he could move the U.S. Em-
bassy in Israel from Tel Aviv
to Jerusalem. While presi-
dential candidates have
long made similar pledges,
all have abandoned the
idea over concerns that
following through would
further inflame tensions in
the volatile region.q