Hillary Clinton never called the TPP the gold standard
| Hillary Clinton never called the TPP the gold standard | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "Hillary Clinton never described the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal as the "gold standard" of trade agreements." | |
| Domain | Economy & Labor |
| Tactic | Fabrication |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | 2016 |
| Origin | Hillary Clinton's response to Donald Trump in the first presidential debate, September 26, 2016 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Economy & Labor | |
In the first 2016 presidential debate, Donald Trump said Hillary Clinton had called the Trans-Pacific Partnership "the gold standard" of trade deals. Clinton replied, "Well, Donald, I know you live in your own reality, but that is not the facts," adding that she had hoped it would be a good deal.
As secretary of state, she had used the phrase.
What the evidence shows
- The 2012 remark. In Adelaide, Australia, on November 15, 2012, Clinton said: "This TPP sets the gold standard in trade agreements to open free, transparent, fair trade."
- Other praise. She spoke favorably of the negotiations dozens of times as secretary of state, according to tallies by CNN and others.
- Later opposition. In October 2015, after the final text was released, she said she opposed the agreement because it did not meet her standards on jobs, wages and national security.
Why it matters
Changing a position on a trade deal is a legitimate choice. Denying the earlier position on a national debate stage was not accurate.
Sources
- US Department of State, remarks by Secretary Clinton at the Commercial Club, Adelaide, November 15, 2012.
- PolitiFact, "Hillary Clinton's denial that she called TPP the 'gold standard,'" September 2016.
- Commission on Presidential Debates, transcript of the September 26, 2016, debate.