Regular readers know I like some of Trump’s policies, such as regulation and tax reduction (unfortunately accompanied by goofy gimmicks).

It’s also well known that I don’t like some of Trump’s other policies (protectionism and wasteful spending).

Today’s column is going to highlight what may be his biggest positive accomplishment.

But we are not going to look at a change in policy. Instead, we’re going to highlight a change in perspective. As reported by the Financial Times, Trump has convinced a lot of folks on the left to be strongly in favor of free trade!

As you can see, support for free trade on the left didn’t just increase, it more than doubled.

On the flip side, it’s sad to see that support for free trade on the right declined a bit. Though I hope conservatives go back to being Reaganites once Trump is out of the White House.

I’ll close with a couple of caveats.

First, I’m skeptical that folks on the left now like free trade for the right reason. My concern is that they simply want to disagree with Trump. That’s better than nothing, of course, but I’d like them to understand why it’s a good idea to reduce the burden of government (in all areas, not just trade policy).

Second, I may be getting old, but I can remember what happened when Biden was in the White House. His trade policy was largely a continuation of Trump’s 1st-term protectionism. Though maybe, just maybe, a pro-trade Democrat will emerge as the 2028 race heats up (I won’t be holding my breath).

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Image credit: Mgunn | Public Domain.