Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., the second-most senior Democrat in the House of Representatives, said Tuesday that President Trump should not tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement as promised if Congress does not approve the revised trade agreement the administration negotiated with Canada and Mexico.
“In my view that would be a big mistake, very disruptive of the economy,” said Hoyer at the Wall Street Journal CEO Council conference in Washington, D.C.
Trump has suggested he could halt the landmark free trade agreement and restore tariffs that were ended by NAFTA if Congress doesn’t approve his new agreement.
Hoyer acknowledged that Democrats had yet to voice support for the new draft trade deal, but that they needed to weigh details of the new proposed agreement, like its effects on labor, enforcement provisions, and whether or not it would be an overall positive for the U.S. economy.
[Opinion: Nancy Pelosi has every incentive to snub Trump and let his new NAFTA die]
“It’s a question and therefore I think people are reserving judgment,” said the Maryland Democrat. “Is this better, or worse, or supportable?”
Hoyer also blasted the administration for approaching trade negotiations with Canada, Mexico, and European countries in the same way it does with China, suggesting opening up all trade fronts at once could leave the U.S. with a weakened hand.
“We need to deal with China, but we ought to deal with China discreetly,” said Hoyer. “We need to deal with China as China, not as a part of dealing with Canada, dealing with Mexico, dealing with Europe.”
Hoyer said that Trump’s approach toward China isn’t all bad: “One strength that the president has with China is he’s unpredictable” and has a willingness to be aggressive with China.
But the top Democrat added, “It’s not a strength if we’re dealing with our allies and friends exactly the same way.”
