Obama warns of countries who ‘use trade as a weapon’. Like USA over Brexit?

President Obama has taken his European tour to Germany, where he touted the ‘indisputable’ benefits of an EU-US free-trade pact. Speaking at the Hannover Messe Trade Fair, Obama noted the importance of an agreement as a bulwark against the likes of Russia ‘at this time of uncertainty, including here in Europe, when others would use trade and energy as a weapon.’

Trade as a weapon? You don’t say. Obama’s remarks in Germany came shortly after his visit to Britain, where he bludgeoned Brexit campaigners with the implied threat that Britain would ‘go to the back of the queue’ for a US trade pact if it left the EU. Obama followed that press conference with further musings to the BBC’s Huw Edwards: ‘It could be five years from now, 10 years from now before we’re actually able to get something done.’

These omens might be worth the carbon emitted to issue them if Obama were to serve another two terms in office.