WASHINGTON—A number of pro-trade American lawmakers had lunch with Donald Trump on Tuesday as they ramped up the political campaign to prevent him from blowing up NAFTA. One of the senators present at Tuesday’s meeting, Iowa’s Joni Ernst, said she raised her concerns with the president and with U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer. He bemoaned last year’s $17-billion (U.S.) trade deficit with Canada and the deficits with Mexico and China. “We have tremendous losses with Mexico and losses with Canada and covered by NAFTA,” Trump said. However, some American lawmakers, especially from agriculture-exporting states, have pleaded with him not to make moves that might destabilize their markets.

Source: thestar December 05, 2017 23:48 UTC