Although free trade is a useful concept and I have no argument in regard that it is as a principle of economics that protectionism tends to hurt more than it helps in an ideal world where other nations are open to free trade....it is not a comprehensive enough principle to adequately deal with the realities of negotiated trades between nations that play dirty with trade....and not even necessarily to the benefit of their own citizens.
Gravity is a useful concept. And yet airplanes and baloons may defy it...because there is more going on.
FREE TRADE is PROTECTIONISM.
PROTECTIONISM is FREE TRADE.
It is not Free Trade. It is Privileged trade, picking winners and losers is Protectionism.
Protection from bad foreign money, from foreign State monopolies; from rigged rules and bad laws; protection from evil brings liberty & abundance.
Liar.