White House calls for changing, but not scrapping, NAFTA in draft letter

John Veroneau is quoted by The Washington Post in an article regarding the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). “Compared to some of the campaign rhetoric, the letter [to Congress] seemed quite reasonable and measured,” says Veroneau. “It didn’t strike me as suggesting a departure from the status quo in any significant way.”

Commenting on the passages that seem to reflect President Trump’s stated policy of putting the interests of American workers first, Veroneau highlights the section on “rules of origin,” which govern how much raw material from outside North America can be used in products that are manufactured in Canada, Mexico or the United States and sold under NAFTA’s favorable terms.