Intellectual property supports the U.S. economy. It should be respected abroad.; The Washington Post, June 18, 2026

 

David Kappos

 and 

Jeffrey Gerrish

, The Washington Post; Intellectual property supports the U.S. economy. It should be respected abroad.

"Many countries proudly tout close economic ties to the United States — but when it comes to protecting the intellectual property rights that help make the American economy strong, those trading partners often prove unreliable. 

That failure comes at a steep cost. Intellectual-property-intensive industries support more than 62 million U.S. jobs and 41 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to a 2019 report from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. When other countries ignore — or actively attack — IP protections and allow their domestic companies to illicitly profit off American innovation, it hurts U.S. companies, workers and investors."