Obama says he will speak out if core USA values, ideals threatened

U.S. President Barack Obama has indicated he could break with tradition and speak out against Donald Trump when the businessman succeeds him.

The last several meetings have included President Obama developing support for the USA led “Trans Pacific Partnership”-a trade and investment deal involving a dozen economies to start, not including China”. The President commended those TPP leaders who have already successfully worked with their legislatures to move forward with TPP approval.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership would cement free trade among 12 nations encompassing almost 40 per cent of the world’s GDP, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan and the United States.

Obama said he was “very clear about the strong differences we had on policy”.

Asia-Pacific leaders vowed Sunday to fight protectionism at the close of a summit upended by US President-elect Donald Trump’s shock victory and virulent attacks on free-trade deals.

President Obama is making no guarantees to President-elect Trump that he’ll remain a passive and respectful ex-president.

The official communique said the leaders agreed to continue efforts to advance an Asia-Pacific free trade area, following the release of a cost benefits study.

Despite China’s overtures, some APEC members were determined to press on with TPP and held out hopes the United States would still show leadership on trade. The deal can not come into force without the approval of those latter two countries.

Obama reiterated his administration’s commitment to policies like the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and the Paris climate change deal, while doling out advice for the future Democratic leaders.

He told delegates gathering for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum that global trade had stopped growing in the past two years, and would only worsen if nations wall off their economies – as Trump has pledged to do with an agenda that calls for putting America’s interests above all else. Jeff Sessions for attorney general, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security adviser and Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo to lead the Central Intelligence Agency – sent a signal that Trump intends to lead exactly as he said he would during the campaign.

“The issue of the elections did not come up because that’s behind us”, he said.

“It’s a great moment, but a sad moment, to have our last meeting”, said Turnbull.

“I think Nancy Pelosi is an outstanding and historic political leader”, Mr. Obama said.

That has made it an uncomfortable summit for Obama, who faced awkward questions from allies about the future of USA policy in his last foreign visit as president.

Putin said at a separate news conference he thanked Obama during Sunday’s meeting in Lima “for the years of joint work”.

The White House said they also discussed Russia’s continued military aggression in Ukraine.

“It fills us with optimism to see that China, one of the world powers, believes in the market, believes in competition.as a mechanism for development”, said Mario Mongilardi, president of the Lima Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with Xinhua post-Summit.

Obama had more amiable talks with allies like Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Canada’s Justin Trudeau, gently prodding them to stick with their existing free trade plans.