Donald Trump has made tearing up NAFTA a cornerstone of his presidency. But as trade negotiations enter a third round, could it be Mexico that leads the charge to overhaul the deal?

The White House is softening its stance on trade — if only temporarily — as it seeks to preserve Republican votes on tax reform, according to senior administration officials, congressional aides and outside advisors. [Kayla Tausche |September 22, 2017| CNBC] A long-delayed investigation into Chinese steel dumping is on hold; the calls to withdraw from North American Free…

As the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations unfold, there is a lot of loose talk being exchanged about automobile parts going back and forth among the United States, Canada and Mexico. NAFTA supporters assert that the U.S. content in cars assembled in Canada and Mexico is particularly high and that therefore our $70 billion-plus…

Washington~ Yesterday, the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) met with United States Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer to talk about NAFTA renegotiations, trade enforcement, trade deficits, and currency misalignment. CPA members had an opportunity to share the challenges they face in their business due to failed trade policy. “It was a great meeting with USTR Bob…

Washington ~ The US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released a report today that the US trade deficit rose yet again.  Dollar overvaluation and the failure to deal with nationalistic economic strategies in Asia and Germany are the primary causes. The BEA report stated:  The U.S. current-account deficit increased to $123.1 billion (preliminary) in the…

Transcript of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer’s speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on September 18th. Thank you, Senator. Ambassador Hill, Senator Brock, friends – there’s probably some out here – distinguished guests. First when I was asked to do this, and asked by Senator Brock, I – it’s not one of…

The breakneck pace of North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations does not guarantee a conclusion by year’s end, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Monday during a speech that covered a range of topics — including China’s trade and economic policies, which he claimed the World Trade Organization is unable to manage. [ Jenny Leonard &…

President Trump last month empowered U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to investigate China’s theft of American intellectual property (IP), which costs America up to $500 billion annually. A new report from Axios, however, reveals that Trump’s aggressive action on IP theft may just be the beginning. Not content with cracking down on IP theft, President Trump wants tariffs, too. [Spencer…

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Wednesday blocked a Beijing-backed fund’s attempt to buy an American chip maker, signaling his administration will closely scrutinize Chinese efforts to invest in U.S. semiconductor technology. [Kate O’Keeffe | September 13, 2017 | Wall Street Journal] Mr. Trump rejected the transaction after the would-be deal makers—Chinese government-backed Canyon Bridge Capital Partners and Lattice…

The events of the past year have clearly shown that many Americans, whether Democrats or Republicans, have finally rebelled against “free trade.” [Ralph Gomory | August 14, 2017 | PBS News] It is high time. There is an enormous gap between free trade as it is taught in textbooks and advocated by those who benefit from…