Trump point man drops hint on key NAFTA priority: Stricter rules on auto parts
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s new point man on trade negotiations has shed some light on key goals in revamping the North American Free Trade Agreement, hinting Friday that priority No. 1 involves more automobile parts sourced close to home.
The newly confirmed U.S. commerce secretary told a television interviewer he intends to move quickly on NAFTA negotiations and wants to be aggressive on trade-related issues to spur domestic manufacturing.
Wilbur Ross was asked what he considers the most egregious parts of the current agreement, and the first thing he mentioned was interpreted by several observers as a reference to the formula for calculating car-part imports.
“First of all, I think the rules of origin were far too lenient (in NAFTA),” Ross told CNBC.