Lighthizer favors hardball tactic with Congress on NAFTA

Source: Politico




The administration may want to strong-arm lawmakers to get a short-term win on an issue that resonates with the president’s base.

By ADAM BEHSUDI and ANDREW RESTUCCIA 04/20/2018 06:15 AM EDT

It could be called President Donald Trump’s version of “take it, or leave it.”

As top-level ministers gathered in Washington toward the end of this week, the Trump administration has already been thinking about how to get a new NAFTA agreement through both chambers of Congress.

One strategy that has seemed to gain favor is to force a congressional approval on the new NAFTA by withdrawing from the existing pact even before the new one is ready. The thinking is that Congress will have to approve whatever terms are in the new deal quickly, lest the U.S. is left hanging without an agreement with two of its largest trading partners.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is said to have advocated for such an approach, according to current and former administration officials.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/04/20/lighthizer-nafta-trump-trade-congress-539248