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US Trade Envoy Says NAFTA Has 'Failed' Americans

by Reuters

   WASHINGTON --

   U.S. President Donald Trump's top trade official laid down a hard
   negotiating line for revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement
   on Wednesday, saying that major changes were needed to slash U.S. trade
   deficits and boost U.S. content in autos.

   U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said NAFTA had "failed
   many, many Americans" and Trump was not interested in merely tweaking
   the 23-year-old pact, and would seek major changes that would increase
   North American and U.S. content for autos and strong labor standards.

   "We need to ensure that the huge trade deficits do not continue and we
   have balance and reciprocity. This should be periodically reviewed,"
   Lighthizer said in opening remarks at NAFTA negotiations in Washington.
   "The rules of origin, particularly on autos and auto parts, must
   require higher NAFTA content and substantial U.S. content."