The following article by John T. Bennett was posted on the Roll Call website August 27, 2018:
Deal comes amid efforts to update NAFTA but excludes Canada
Updated 1:24 p.m. | President Donald Trump on Monday announced a trade deal with Mexico aimed at revamping parts of the North American Free Trade Agreement, but Canadian officials still must sign off on the pact.
The president hailed the preliminary pact as a “big deal” in a Monday morning tweet, but — at least for now — it does not include Canada. Trump said during an Oval Office announcement that the new pact would not be called NAFTA.
The president dubbed the pact the “United States-Mexico Trade Agreement,” saying he wants to do away with the NAFTA moniker because it carries negative connotations.
“It’s a big day for trade. It’s a big day for our country,” Trump told reporters.