According to a recent opinion piece by Marc L. Busch and Petros C. Mavroidis, the aggressive unilateral trade strategies employed by the Trump administration may inadvertently provide the World Trade Organization (WTO) with an opportunity for renewal.
The authors argue that instead of attempting to originate comprehensive multilateral trade agreements—a process that has long stalled—the WTO should pivot toward aggregating the numerous bilateral deals negotiated by member states elsewhere. This shift in strategy could allow the organization to restore its relevance as the central arbiter of international commerce.
By focusing on consolidating these existing bilateral arrangements, the WTO could address current fragmentation in global trade rules while leveraging the momentum generated by major powers pursuing their own trade partnerships. The piece suggests that this pragmatic approach might breathe new life into the institution amidst growing challenges to the multilateral trading system.
The commentary was published on September 18, 2026, as part of The Hill’s international opinion section.
Does aggregating bilateral deals actually strengthen rules, or just legitimize power imbalances? Skeptical it solves the real problem.
I’m surprised this hasn’t happened yet. Why wait for Trump’s chaos to fix a broken system?
Agreed, aggregation is a pragmatic pivot. It lets the WTO work with what exists rather than waiting for impossible consensus.