President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a new threat to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement altogether, warning Congress not to intervene in tough negotiations that may or may not include Canada in a new accord.
….Remember, NAFTA was one of the WORST Trade Deals ever made. The U.S. lost thousands of businesses and millions of jobs. We were far better off before NAFTA – should never have been signed. Even the Vat Tax was not accounted for. We make new deal or go back to pre-NAFTA!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2018
Trade talks between the United States and its 2nd largest bilateral trading partner will kick off again Wednesday, after the two sides ended Friday’s tense negotiations without a deal. The talks were thrown into doubt after the president reportedly made an off-the-record comment that was published, suggesting he wouldn’t give Canada any leeway.
In a series of posts on Twitter, Trump took an uncompromising stance with the U.S.’s neighbor to the north. He said there was “no political necessity” to keep Canada in a new deal that Mexico appears to have agreed with in principle.
Both Democrats and Republicans have voiced skepticism about Trump’s negotiating stance, and whether it was viable in the context of keeping Canada in a new accord.
“If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere with these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off,” the president added, blasting the trade pact as one of “the worst deals ever made.”
