Trump says he will block Japanese firm's takeover of U.S. Steel

[Wiz Imp]

18. Exactly. That "opinion" makes no sense.

It's one thing to argue no American assets should be owned by an actual foreign government. But foreign companies owning US assets? That has existed since the beginning of the country 250 years ago. Disallowing such ownership would destroy the country's economy.

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/foreign-ownership-us-infrastructure

David Marchick, who co-authored a July 2006 CFR Special Report on foreign investment and national security, says that "attracting foreign investment is in itself a national security imperative of the United States because foreign investment is critical to the vitality and strength of our economy." With the U.S. trade deficit in excess of $725 billion in 2005, a steady influx of money from foreign investors is a necessity. As part of a process known as "in-sourcing," foreign companies employ some 5.3 million American workers in the United States. On average, these workers earn 34 percent more than workers at similar U.S.-owned businesses. Furthermore, foreign companies operating within the United States produce more than 21 percent of all U.S. exports, Malan says.

Welcoming foreign investment is also a fundamental tenet of U.S. trade policy. The aim is to open investment opportunities for U.S. companies abroad while at the same time creating a more stable international system and provide equal opportunities within U.S. borders. "It has been a deep belief of the United States that by taking leadership in economic openness...nations would be knit together," says Holtz-Eakin.