Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/770652
66 The PCB Magazine • January 2017 Later this month, Donald Trump will enter the White House as the 45th president of the United States. Regardless of whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, we at IPC believe this leadership change will present meaningful opportunities for the electronics in- dustry. Under normal circumstances, the newly unified Republican control of Congress and the Executive Branch could be expected to translate into a more coherent, pro-business governing agenda. However, President-elect Trump is not a traditional Republican, and his operating style often detracts from the merits of his message. There are some who suggest that the new presi- dent's plans might diverge enough from those of the Republican Congress that a legislative stalemate may ensue. What does this mean for the worldwide electronics industry? Our biggest concern is the impact on interna- tional trade. Specifically, President-elect Trump has said he would drop U.S. participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), put a hold on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Part- nership (T-TIP), seek to renegotiate NAFTA, slap higher tariffs on imports from China, and seek greater penalties on nations accused of dump- ing products or raw materials and committing intellectual property violations. If these drastic U.S. policy shifts are pursued and enacted, we might expect to see a strong out- cry from the business community and the general public. Increased uncertainty is rarely good news for most businesses, and that's especially true in the complex world of trans-national trade. Implications of the Trump Presidency ONE WORLD, ONE INDUSTRY by John Mitchell IPC—ASSOCIATION CONNECTING ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES