U.S.-Canada trade talks look set to drag on as President Donald Trump ratchets up pressure by threatening auto tariffs he says would mean the “ruination” of the Canadian economy.
Trump, speaking Friday in North Dakota, said he believes Canada is ripping off the U.S. and repeated that, if a deal can’t be reached, he’ll apply a 20 percent tariff on cars. “In some countries, including Canada, a tax on cars would be the ruination of the country. That’s how big it is. The ruination of the country,” he said. “Nafta has been the worst trade deal ever.”
He made the comments as talks to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement drew to a stalemate in Washington, after U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met his Canadian counterpart, Chrystia Freeland, for the third consecutive day.