Trump: No ‘political necessity’ to keep Canada in NAFTA deal

President Trump on Saturday characterized the North American Free Trade Agreement trade agreement as “one of the WORST Trade Deals ever made” and warned that if Canada could not come to an agreement with U.S. trade negotiators, the country would be left out of a possible trade pact.

{mosads}”There is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out,” Trump said Saturday. “Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off.”

Trump went on to blame the agreement, which went into effect in 1994, for costing the U.S. “millions” of manufacturing and other jobs over the course of two decades.

“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,” he continued. “Even the Vat Tax was not accounted for. We make new deal or go back to pre-NAFTA!”

There is no political necessity to keep Canada in the new NAFTA deal. If we don’t make a fair deal for the U.S. after decades of abuse, Canada will be out. Congress should not interfere w/ these negotiations or I will simply terminate NAFTA entirely & we will be far better off…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2018

….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

Trump notified Congress earlier this week of his intention to enter into a trade agreement with Mexico and possibly Canada after weeks of negotiations. While Trump is moving forward on the deal with Mexico, the administration continues to negotiate with Mexico. Trump indicated on Friday that he will not compromise in order to include Canada in the deal.

Trade moves from the Trump administration have rankled U.S. allies in 2018, with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders issuing harsh condemnations of the president’s economic policy.

The president’s tweets came amid national coverage of the funeral of Arizona Sen. John McCain (R), to which Trump was not invited, as well as attacks from the president on the Justice Department and the FBI over surveillance of members of his campaign.