--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If the U.S. turns away from the…" description: "\"If the U.S. turns away from the international system, then we will simply have to look after it ourselves. Together, we can demonstrate that, even in t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/cecilia-malmstrom-31146_free-trade_if-the-u-s-turns-away-from-the-internati_2937925.jpg" --- # If the U.S. turns away from the international system, then… ![“If the U.S. turns away from the international system, then we will simply have to look after it ourselves. Together, we can demonstrate that, even in the Trump era, free trade is not a thing of the past.” quote by Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/cecilia-malmstrom-31146_free-trade_if-the-u-s-turns-away-from-the-internati_2937925.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/cecilia-malmstrom-31146_free-trade_if-the-u-s-turns-away-from-the-internati_2937925.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/cecilia-malmstrom-31146_free-trade_if-the-u-s-turns-away-from-the-internati_2937925.jpg) > “If the U.S. turns away from the international system, then we will simply have to look after it ourselves. Together, we can demonstrate that, even in the Trump era, free trade is not a thing of the past.” [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If the US withdraws from global systems, it must self-protect; free trade persists despite political shifts. **In simple terms:** US must protect itself if it withdraws. Key Takeaway Promote free trade and self-reliance. Themes international relations trade politics Mood thoughtful strategic Type analysis inspirational When to use this quote - businesses - policy makers - diplomacy - public discourse Key Concepts global interdependence economic sovereignty Questions to Reflect On - How can the US stay engaged? - What alternatives exist to free trade? A Different Perspective Isolation can harm economies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Free trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-trade/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) ## Related quotes > [The U.S. has dropped its role as the vanguard of free trade, they are looking for a new partner: the EU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/the-u-s-has-dropped-its-role-as-the-vanguard-of-free-trade-they-are/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [I sometimes think, as bad as things seem for progressives in this world in the Trump era, it's worse than we think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pfeiffer/i-sometimes-think-as-bad-as-things-seem-for-progressives-in-this/) [Daniel Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pfeiffer/) > [One of the great mysteries of the Trump era has been the missed opportunities for the first lady to stamp her mark on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/one-of-the-great-mysteries-of-the-trump-era-has-been-the-missed/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [We are almost in a time beyond jokes, beyond satire. When the Trump era is called the 'post-truth' period, then this is the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/we-are-almost-in-a-time-beyond-jokes-beyond-satire-when-the-trump-era/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [Rudy Giuliani would bring conflicts of interest into any Senate confirmation hearing that would be impossible to clear if confirmation hearings operate under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/rudy-giuliani-would-bring-conflicts-of-interest-into-any-senate/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [When Joe Biden dismantled Trump-era border protections on his first day in office, he created a slow-burning national security crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/when-joe-biden-dismantled-trump-era-border-protections-on-his-first/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [For federal races, being able to carefully navigate the Trump Era is a significant challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-soltis-anderson/for-federal-races-being-able-to-carefully-navigate-the-trump-era-is-a/) [Kristen Soltis Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-soltis-anderson/) > [In terms of activism, the Trump-era transformation of news into entertainment has had a deep effect on the way that collegiate politics are perceived.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-grigoriadis/in-terms-of-activism-the-trump-era-transformation-of-news-into/) [Vanessa Grigoriadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-grigoriadis/) > [In the Trump era, the Left has smartly and justifiably seized a moral high ground that the Right has abandoned by its embrace of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/in-the-trump-era-the-left-has-smartly-and-justifiably-seized-a-moral/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [Hypocrisy, something Jesus railed against, has become perhaps the most prominent feature of the religious right in the Trump era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-powers/hypocrisy-something-jesus-railed-against-has-become-perhaps-the-most/) [Kirsten Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-powers/) > [Kentucky has long been Democratic at the state level but that trend had completely reversed in the Trump era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/kentucky-has-long-been-democratic-at-the-state-level-but-that-trend/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [We need to protect free trade as a guiding principle for Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-kishida/we-need-to-protect-free-trade-as-a-guiding-principle-for-japan/) [Fumio Kishida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-kishida/) > [The E.U., China, and Japan all talk free trade, and they all practice protectionism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/the-e-u-china-and-japan-all-talk-free-trade-and-they-all-practice/) [Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) ## More by Cecilia Malmstrom > [Germany and other countries have protested to the U.S. We have to make it clear again and again that millions of jobs in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/germany-and-other-countries-have-protested-to-the-u-s-we-have-to-make/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [Trump's election has opened many people's eyes in Europe to how valuable the European Union and international cooperation are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/trump-s-election-has-opened-many-people-s-eyes-in-europe-to-how/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [The U.S. has dropped its role as the vanguard of free trade, they are looking for a new partner: the EU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/the-u-s-has-dropped-its-role-as-the-vanguard-of-free-trade-they-are/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [Europe is good at many things, which is why we are the largest exporter in the world. Thirty million people in Europe are employed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/europe-is-good-at-many-things-which-is-why-we-are-the-largest/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [I actually do not believe that Trump is anti-trade as such. He himself was a life-long trader in his own area, the real estate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/i-actually-do-not-believe-that-trump-is-anti-trade-as-such-he-himself/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [Even though we still don't know any precise details, we're already making it clear that some proposals like a border tax or "buy-American" regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/even-though-we-still-don-t-know-any-precise-details-we-re-already/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [In a changing world, some jobs disappear and new ones are created. That's how it has been for hundreds of years. When jobs disappear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/in-a-changing-world-some-jobs-disappear-and-new-ones-are-created-that/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [It is time for the Chinese to make good on their word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/it-is-time-for-the-chinese-to-make-good-on-their-word/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [When it comes to disputes before the World Trade Organization, we generally win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/when-it-comes-to-disputes-before-the-world-trade-organization-we/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [The American people have elected their president and my vote doesn't count in the U.S.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/the-american-people-have-elected-their-president-and-my-vote-doesn-t/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [It is just as important that we enter into a dialogue with China.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/it-is-just-as-important-that-we-enter-into-a-dialogue-with-china/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [Building walls does not make any country great again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/building-walls-does-not-make-any-country-great-again/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [We are deeply concerned about the situation in Russia with regards to human rights. There are several examples of this situation, such as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/we-are-deeply-concerned-about-the-situation-in-russia-with-regards-to/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [There is an alarming increase of violence and harassment against gay people, something that is being legitimized by the regime as they brand homosexuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/there-is-an-alarming-increase-of-violence-and-harassment-against-gay/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) > [We have worked to make our trade negotiations more transparent and to negotiate value-based agreements. We have listened to concerns, for example by carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-malmstrom/we-have-worked-to-make-our-trade-negotiations-more-transparent-and-to/) [Cecilia Malmstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) [Explore all 16 Cecilia Malmstrom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-malmstrom/) ## More Free trade quotes > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [The E.U., China, and Japan all talk free trade, and they all practice protectionism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-ross/the-e-u-china-and-japan-all-talk-free-trade-and-they-all-practice/) [Wilbur Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-ross/) > [We need to protect free trade as a guiding principle for Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fumio-kishida/we-need-to-protect-free-trade-as-a-guiding-principle-for-japan/) [Fumio Kishida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fumio-kishida/) > [I am all in favor of growing the American economy and engaging in trade with the world, but not at the expense of American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-yoho/i-am-all-in-favor-of-growing-the-american-economy-and-engaging-in/) [Ted Yoho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-yoho/) > [We also exchange oil for software technology. Uruguay is one of the biggest producers of software. We are breaking with the neoliberal model. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-chavez/we-also-exchange-oil-for-software-technology-uruguay-is-one-of-the/) [Hugo Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-chavez/) > [There was free trade in Africa. There was free enterprise in Africa before the colonialists came.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ayittey/there-was-free-trade-in-africa-there-was-free-enterprise-in-africa/) [George Ayittey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ayittey/) > [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [The orthodox doctrines of economics which were dominant in the last quarter of the nineteenth century had a clear message. They supported laisser faire,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-robinson/the-orthodox-doctrines-of-economics-which-were-dominant-in-the-last/) [Joan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-robinson/) > [If Britain doesn't stay in the Single Market or Customs Union, we are very much in favor of a free trade agreement between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/if-britain-doesn-t-stay-in-the-single-market-or-customs-union-we-are/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“Bastiat (1801–1850) was a strikingly clear-minded early advocate of what came to be known as liberal economics, whose central idea is that the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/bastiat-1801-1850-was-a-strikingly-clear-minded-early-advocate-of/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [“The candidates promised to cut taxes for those in the highest brackets, preserve Wall Street loopholes, tolerate the off-shoring of manufacturing jobs and profits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-candidates-promised-to-cut-taxes-for-those-in-the-highest/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [I'm a free market person, a free trader. But if we had a market in California, there would be competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-eshoo/i-m-a-free-market-person-a-free-trader-but-if-we-had-a-market-in/) [Anna Eshoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-eshoo/) > [I think Brexit's going to be a wonderful thing for Britain. I think when it irons out, you're gonna have your own identity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-think-brexit-s-going-to-be-a-wonderful-thing-for-britain-i-think/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ “\[The\] term 'libertarian' itself, to be sure, raises a problem, notably, the specious identification of an anti-authoritarian ideology with a straggling movement for 'pure… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-term-libertarian-itself-to-be-sure-raises-a-problem-notably-the/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) [Browse all 315 Free trade quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-trade/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If the U.S. turns away from the international system, then we will simply have to look after it ourselves. 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