Source: MEATINGPLACE, 1/15/18

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump said he’s still willing to terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) but would prefer to renegotiate and is willing to wait until after Mexico’s upcoming election.

“I’m leaving it a little flexible because they have an election coming up. ... [A]nd I understand that that makes it a little bit difficult for them ... . [T]here’s no rush, but I will say that if we don’t make a fair deal for this country, a Trump deal, ... I will terminate,” he said in a transcript of the interview published by the Wall Street Journal last Thursday. “With that being said, I would rather be able to negotiate. We’ve made a lot of headway. We’re moving along nicely. Bob Lighthizer and others are working very hard, and we’ll see what happens.”

Mexico will hold its next general election on July 1. This would push talks beyond the previously set end-March deadline.
Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland welcomed the news, speaking to reporters on Friday on the sidelines of a Cabinet retreat, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later told reporters that he was optimistic the three nations would be able to agree on improvements to NAFTA while reiterating Canada’s stance that “we will not accept just any deal.”

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