Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that a NAFTA deal was within reach when Vice President Mike Pence scuttled it by demanding the inclusion of a “sunset” clause that would automatically expire the pact in five years, according to a Thursday Washington Post report.
Trudeau told the Washington Post that he was planning a trip to D.C. to finalize the deal when Pence called with his ultimatum. “I had to highlight that there was no possibility of any Canadian prime minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause, and obviously the visit didn’t happen,” Trudeau said.
The White House fired back at Trudeau in a Thursday statement. “The United States has been taken advantage of for many decades on trade. Those days are over,” it read. “Earlier today, this message was conveyed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada: The United States will agree to a fair deal, or there will be no deal at all.”
This breakdown happened amid President Donald Trump’s decision to levy stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from a swath of American allies including Canada and Mexico, provoking likely retaliation and a possible all-out trade war.
Per the Washington Post, Trump has said that the tariffs are necessary for U.S. protection, though they have been criticized by groups as disparate as foreign leaders, American business leaders, and American labor organizations.
Trade policy by temper tantrum. Who knew it could be so complicated?
I have a sinking feeling our long national nightmare is only still in its beginning stages. Canada might want to begin closing its borders now before the trickle north becomes a flood. Or start building the refugee dorms now.
It isn’t trade policy, it is deflection from the crimes Drump has committed and continues to commit. Just like his obstruction by pardon.
Incompetent or Stupid?
Maybe Both.
Trump and his band of Morans seem to lose sight of the fact thier little games have real world consequences.
There will be more like this when the farmers and manufacturers get hit
Kissing Large Airplane orders goodby and handing them to Airbus
Trump Sanctions Turn Iran Treasures Into Fool’s Gold
U.S. actions since announcing it would pull out of the Iran nuclear agreement suggest that the Trump administration will take a hard-line approach in reimplementing sanctions, including those targeting commercial aviation.
“Sanctions are back in place today with a 90-day and 180-day wind-down period for different components,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers May 23, responding to a question about whether the U.S. is prepared to impose sanctions against all of its allies.
The U.S. stance means the gold rush to sell Iran much-needed aircraft—some analysts project the country’s airlines, which operate about 250 aircraft, could absorb as many as 500 new airframes in the next decade or so—has been blocked, at least for Boeing. The U.S. manufacturer received a license for its Iran Air deal but did not include any of its Iran-destined commitments in its backlog. None will be delivered unless the U.S. changes its policy.
The U.S. on May 8 said it was dropping out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—a three-year-old deal between Iran and China, the European Union, France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the UK and the U.S. At its core is the lifting of specific sanctions against Iran linked to civilian trade and finance. In exchange, Iran’s nuclear program development would comply with certain restrictions. The JCPOA, which went into force on Jan. 16, 2016, removed thousands of restricted persons and entities from sanctions lists maintained by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Among the entities removed was Iran Air.
Good grief, the United States is the most powerful nation on earth. Yet, just like themselves, POtuS and Vice POtUS, act like it’s being victimized by everyone else.
Too bad this was done by phone so Vice POtuS couldn’t put on his distainful sneer and walk out.