I would disagree, I for one have no faith in free trade.
Well we might end up seeing if a "managed economy" works better. I shudder at the thought.
See "free trade" deals, as all treaties, are basically nothing more than expressions of a reality that already exists. Just as peace treaties generally follow military victories, trade treaties generally just recognize an already developing reality. You don't cut a deal with someone you aren't already trading with.
And in an age when anyone in the U.S. can figure out what a widget costs in Mexico, China, the U.K. near instantaneously I'm not sure people will put up with paying more than the world price. Heck, the smuggling opportunities, shell corporations, and other work arounds could be the next great growth opportunity.