WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Trade Representative (USTR) sharply criticized past trade policies, saying Washington officials from the early 1990s through 2016 weakened America’s production economy in favor of foreign interests and corporate gains.

“Between the early 1990s and 2016, Washington bureaucrats abandoned America’s production economy for a debtor economy to curry favor with big business and our trading partners, opening our borders to foreign labor, capital, goods, and services,” the USTR said.

By contrast, the office emphasized President Donald Trump’s shift in direction: “President Trump is taking U.S. trade policy off autopilot and restructuring international trade to bolster our economy and put America first.”

The remarks underscore the administration’s focus on renegotiating trade agreements, reshoring American industries, and prioritizing domestic workers over globalized supply chains.