Trump Says He Is in 'No Rush' to Renegotiate Nafta
August 16 2018 - 1:48PM
Dow Jones News
By Michael C. Bender
WASHINGTON -- President Trump said that negotiations have
stalled over his attempt to rewrite the North American Free Trade
Agreement and that he is no longer in a hurry to overhaul the
pact.
At a cabinet meeting on Thursday at the White House, Mr. Trump
told the team, including U.S. Trade Representative Robert
Lighthizer, "don't do the deal" unless there was a significant
breakthrough in talks. He said there currently were no trade talks
with Canada.
"I'm in no rush," Mr. Trump said. "If we don't have a
breakthrough, don't do the deal."
Mr. Trump won the 2016 presidential election with a promise to
make Nafta "a lot better" for the U.S., or pull out altogether. He
has insisted that his team was close to a deal, while also raising
issues that could blow up the agreement, such as warning of
possible U.S. tariffs on vehicles and auto parts following duties
imposed June 1 on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico. Trump
administration officials have been particularly frustrated with
Canada for not making more concessions at the negotiating
table.
Write to Michael C. Bender at Mike.Bender@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 16, 2018 13:33 ET (17:33 GMT)
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