US President-elect Donald Trump set to kill TPP in hours

Name: Watch: Security grows ahead of Trump inauguration
Uploaded: 2017-01-20T09:27:02+13:00
Duration: 68 s
Description: Roads are closed and security blockades are up around Washington in preparation for Friday's inauguration of Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Trump supporters descended upon the nation's capital, saying they're excited about the big day.

AAP

19 Jan, 2017 08:17 PM2 mins to read

Roads are closed and security blockades are up around Washington in preparation for Friday's inauguration of Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Trump supporters descended upon the nation's capital, saying they're excited about the big day.

Donald Trump is set to kill the Trans-Pacific Partnership between the US, New Zealand and Australia and nine other Pacific countries within hours of being sworn in as the 45th president of the US.

Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer said on Thursday the president-elect would stick to his planned list of executive orders aimed at striking down some of the cornerstones of President Barack Obama's eight years in the White House, including the proposed TPP.

In November Trump released a video of his policy plans for the first 100 days and the "potential disaster for our country" TPP was top of his list.

"Part of what he announced in the executive order list around the Thanksgiving time included the actions on both TPP and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)," Spicer told reporters.

"They will be done by executive order so I think you will see those happen very shortly."

In Trump's video message in November he vowed to "issue our notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership".

Spicer's TPP executive order confirmation is a blow to the New Zealand government and other nations hoping to keep the TPP alive.

Trump has talked about negotiating one-on-one trade deals with nations, instead of multi-country pacts like TPP and NAFTA.

Trump has also said deals will only be signed if they favoured the US.

Spicer confirmed this remained Trump's strategy.

Part of what he announced in the executive order list around the Thanksgiving time included the actions on both TPP and NAFTA.
Sean Spicer, Trump's press secretary

"I think the president's message on trade has been fairly clear," Spicer said.

"He is going to fight for American workers and American manufacturing and that's going to be the number one thing that guides him going forward.

"He is going to make sure every deal he cuts, just like he did in business, puts American workers and American manufacturing, American services first."

Trump will be sworn in on Friday (Saturday NZT) in Washington DC.