Center for American Principles Policy Fellow Patrick Kilbride recently joined the IP Protection Matters podcast to discuss the U.S. Trade Representative’s 2026 Special 301 Report and the importance of protecting intellectual property rights to promote innovation, economic growth, and American competitiveness.
During the interview, Kilbride explains how strong intellectual property protections encourage investment in research and development, strengthen America’s leadership in advanced industries, and support trade policies that hold foreign governments accountable for failing to adequately protect U.S. innovators. The discussion also explores the role of the annual Special 301 Report in identifying trading partners whose intellectual property policies create barriers to innovation and fair market access. The 2026 report highlights ongoing concerns with IP protection and enforcement among U.S. trading partners and outlines areas where the United States intends to pursue stronger engagement and enforcement. (United States Trade Representative)