Terming the North America Free Trade Agreement "catastrophic" for the US, President Donald Trump has said that he wants to change the agreement to get a "free and fair" deal.
"I have very serious concerns about NAFTA. NAFTA has been a catastrophe for our country. It's been a catastrophe for our workers and our jobs and our companies. They're leaving our country," Trump told reporters at the top of his meetings with a group of Senators at the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
The North American Free Trade Agreement is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the US, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America.
"I want to change it. And maybe we do a new NAFTA and we put an extra "F" in the term NAFTA. You know what the "F" is for, right? Free and fair trade – not just free trade; free and fair trade, because it's very unfair," Trump said yesterday, adding that the agreement is disastrous for the US.
"So all of the statutory guidelines we're adhering to. I would like to speed it up if possible. You're the folks that can do it, Senator. So important," he said urging the Senators to speed up the process to make necessary changes in NAFTA.
"We will make great trade deals and we will have something that will — I don't care if it's a renovation of NAFTA or a brand-new NAFTA. But we do have to make it fair. It is very unfair to the American worker and very, very unfair to companies who do business in this country," he said.
That's why they're leaving; one of the many reasons, including the taxes are too high," he added.
"We're going to take care of that also," he said.
Trump said Wilbur Ross from the Wall Street will represent the US in these trade negotiations.
"We have really assembled tremendous talent, some of the best in the world. And he's fair. And he's fair to other countries. He will be fair to other countries," he said.