请分析给定的文本，该文本是一篇社论，它讨论了国际贸易的利弊。请确定作者是否支持自由贸易，并且通过引用文章中的具体句子来支持你的结论。
Free trade has been a contentious issue for decades, with some arguing that it fosters economic growth and others contending that it leads to job losses and a race to the bottom in terms of labor and environmental standards. In a recent op-ed published in The New York Times, economist Paul Krugman argues that free trade can actually benefit the United States and that the current wave of protectionism is misguided. He writes: "Trade agreements that create more international competition for U.S. workers lead to lower wages; trade agreements that give corporations extra protection can lead to higher profits, but that’s not a plus for the economy as a whole."
The author supports free trade, as evidenced by their citation of economist Paul Krugman's argument that free trade can benefit the United States and that protectionism is misguided. Krugman is quoted as saying that trade agreements that give corporations extra protection can lead to higher profits, but this is not a benefit for the economy as a whole.