Chamber of Commerce leads Big Business attack on Trump over trade

Source: CNN

By Eric Bradner, CNN
Updated 7:23 PM ET, Tue June 28, 2016

Washington (CNN)The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers — two powerful business lobbies both traditionally supportive of Republican candidates -- took the highly unusual step of lashing out at presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump during his speech Tuesday that hammered U.S. free-trade deals.

"Under Trump's trade plans, we would see higher prices, fewer jobs, and a weaker economy," the Chamber tweeted during the speech in Monessen, Pennsylvania, linking to an analysis that argues Trump's trade positions would throw the United States into an economic recession.

The onslaught reflected a major break between right-leaning business interests and the party's 2016 presidential nominee and demonstrate the possible downside to Trump of running as a protectionist Republican. It also comes as Trump attempts to ramp up fundraising -- a challenge that could prove more difficult if the party's business backers decide to back Hillary Clinton or focus their money on assisting down-ballot Republicans.

Trump has broken from Republican orthodoxy and embraced a protectionist trade stance that more closely mirrors liberals such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/28/politics/donald-trump-trade-chamber-of-commerce-business/index.html