Wilbur Ross in Trump campaign vs. Trump administration

On Corporations: CEO of International Coal Group, plus Steel & Textiles

In 2002, Ross established the International Steel Group (ISG), which he established through buyouts and mergers. The ISG had begun with the Pennsylvania-based Bethlehem Steel Corporation when it filed for bankruptcy in 2001. Ross was made chairman of the board of the ISG and, in 2003, he took ISG public.

During a bankruptcy auction in 2004, Ross purchased Horizon Natural Resources and created the International Coal Group (ICG). Ross sold ICG for $3.4 billion in 2011 to Arch Coal, Inc., which is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Ross' firm merged five companies into the International Textile Group (ITG) in 2004. Ross served as the ITG chairman. The companies continued to operate under their respective names and the group's headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Ross founded the International Automotive Components Group in 2006 and served as the chairman of the group until 2014, when he stepped down to take up a position with the Bank of Cyprus.

Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings Feb 3, 2017

On Environment: Overrule Fisheries Commission and allow more fish harvesting

The Trump administration, in an unprecedented decision, has rejected the recommendation of a commission that has long overseen fishing issues along the East Coast, raising deep concerns about political meddling in the ongoing preservation of fragile stocks from Maine to Florida.

More specifically, the decision by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has stirred worries about the consequences for summer flounder, one of the most fished species in the Northeast. Ross earlier this month dismissed the findings of the 75-year-old Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which concluded that New Jersey was violating a conservation plan for summer flounder that all the other states in the compact approved.

The decision, which effectively allows New Jersey to harvest more summer flounder, marked the first time the federal government had disregarded such a recommendation by the commission, and it drew a swift rebuke from state officials along the East Coast.

Source: Boston Globe's David Abel on 2018 Trump Administration Jul 25, 2017

On Free Trade: Vocal critic of recent trade deals

Mnuchin will determine trade policy alongside Wilbur Ross, Trump's nominee for commerce secretary. Ross, a billionaire investor in bankrupt firms, is a vocal critic of recent trade deals. At the commerce department, he will oversee trade enforcement, such as the imposition of tariffs. At the Treasury, Mnuchin will have such responsibilities as declaring China a currency manipulator. Source: The Economist newsmagazine coverage of 2016 Trump transition Dec 3, 2016

On Free Trade: Criticized multinational trade deals: there is no free lunch

During an interview on CNBC on November 30, 2016, Ross criticized multinational trade deals. He said, "The problem with regional trade agreements is you get picked apart by the first country. Then you negotiate with the second you get picked apart. And you go with the third one. You get picked apart again. What has to be put into perspective, we are the big market. We are the world's biggest importer. We need to treat the other countries as good suppliers. Not as determining the whole show."

In August 2016, Ross criticized U.S. trade policies, a cornerstone of Trump's candidacy. He said, "Free trade is like free lunch, there is no free lunch. Somebody wins and somebody loses and unfortunately we've been losing with these stupid agreements that we've made."

Source: Ballotpedia.org: 2017 Trump transition confirmation hearings Feb 3, 2017

The above quotations are from Campaign promises compared to follow-up actions taken by the Trump Administration. Click here for other excerpts from Campaign promises compared to follow-up actions taken by the Trump Administration. Click here for other excerpts by Wilbur Ross. Click here for a profile of Wilbur Ross.
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