In a campaign rally speech in Phoenix, Arizona Tuesday night, Donald Trump said the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will “probably” be terminated, a statement that comes just days after the first round of renegotiation talks with Mexico and Canada concluded in Washington, D.C.
“And I must be honest, and I’ve been talking about NAFTA for a long time, and I’m sorry it’s taken six months, but we have to give notice,” Trump said in his speech. “You have to see this. We have to give notice, and after the notice is given, you have to wait a long time. Then you have to give another one, then you have to wait a long time.
“Anyway, we started two days ago, Bob Lighthizer. Personally, I don’t think we can make a deal, because we have been so badly taken advantage of. They have made such great deals, both of the countries, but in particular, Mexico, that I don’t think we can make a deal. So I think we’ll end up probably terminating NAFTA at some point, OK? Probably.
“But — but I told you from the first day, we will renegotiate NAFTA, or we will terminate NAFTA. I personally don’t think you can make a deal without a termination, but we’re going to see what happens, OK? You’re in — you’re in good hands, I can tell you.”
According to media reports, Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray referred to Trump’s NAFTA commentary as a negotiating tactic. Other news reports noted that many political promises and threats Trump makes at his rallies “rarely lead to actual policy."