President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum on Thursday ordering the Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to investigate steel imports. But he also previewed action on NAFTA.
[CHARLIE SPIERING] April 20th, 2017 [Breitbart]
“The fact is, NAFTA, whether it’s Mexico or Canada, is a disaster for our country,” he said, referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement. “We’ll be reporting back some time over the next two weeks as to NAFTA and what we’re going to do about it.”
Trump specifically cited Canada’s imported dairy products hurting farms in Wisconsin and New York and imports of lumber and timber.
“We’re going to have to get to the negotiating table with Canada very, very quickly,” he said.
A White House aide confirmed to Breitbart News that the president was serious about action on NAFTA in two weeks or less.
“As I traveled the country, I saw the shuttered factories, of the shuttered dreams, and I pledged that I would take action,” Trump said. “And I think it’s probably one of the primary reasons I’m sitting here today as President.
According to the White House, the following people attended the event representing the steel industry and union workers.
Beth Ludwig – AK Steel
Roger Newport – AK Steel
Thomas Gibson – American Iron & Steel Institute
John Brett – Arcelor Mittal
Conrad Winkler – Evraz Steel
John Bass – Nucor
John Ferriola – Nucor
Chuck Schmitt – SSAB Americas
Katie Larson – SSAB Americas
Time Timken – Timken Steel
Ryan Stenger – Timken Steel
Mario Longhi – U.S. Steel
Kelley Gannon – U.S. Steel
Leo Gerard – United Steelworkers (USW)
The investigation will determine whether foreign steel imports threatens national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
