“Free Trade” absolutely requires the OTHER nations to participate and to adhere to our interpretation of free trade. No one has tariffs. No one has restrictions. No one has subsidies. Think they will go along? I doubt it. Trump is trying to create a more level playing field — his tariffs are a response to their tariffs. But as it stands, the platonic ideal of “free trade” is not something anyone should seriously expect to see in the real world. It’s basically stupid to even talk about the thing because it’s not going to ever exist.
Free Trade requires all national to have the same regulations, same economic levels, etc. That will never happen so long as there are people.