You utterly mischaracterize free trade, both in its history adn effects. Protectionism always makes economies weaker.
I was VERY accurate in describing “Free-Trade”.
Is the US stronger or weaker since outsourcing much of our manufacturing base to China? Can we make our own medicine? computer chips? Were we better off outsourcing our energy production to the ME until recently?
Not to mention the devastation these policies caused working people who traded good jobs for low paying service jobs. (If they can even find those).
It’s the governments job to look out for the interests of both Capital and Labor. Free Trade is really just cheap labor.
Those policies are dead at the ballot box.