Very possible.
I’m not sure big pharma can be trusted to act in American interest. But Trade policy needs to make Big Pharma’s interest coincide with American interest. I know Trump understands that.
It’s also possible that Big Pharma was playing hard ball negotiation and asking for more than necessary. That is usually a mistake to try with Trump.
Big Pharma is suppressing HCQ and other low-cost therapeutics, so Trump is going around them in the short term to deal with Covid. Long term, he’ll deal with the trade policy and regulatory issues, but right now this can’t wait.
“It’s also possible that Big Pharma was playing hard ball negotiation and asking for more than necessary. That is usually a mistake to try with Trump”
Bump! Trump understand competition and working around unnecessary bureaucrap expense.