White House on USMCA blitz in hit to Democrats
Top US trade officials take passing USMCA into their own hands
President Trump and his trade team are getting antsy. They are not sitting idle when it comes to pushing the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
FOX Business has learned that officials, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, as well as White House economic advisers Peter Navarro and Larry Kudlow, are hosting one-on-one meetings with about 70 local news outlets in hopes to pressure the Democrats to pass the bill that was officially signed about a year ago. The president spoke with two television outlets and two radio shows.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as "incompetent" and has repeatedly railed against Democrats for focusing on impeachment hearings over passing USMCA.
At stake, potentially thousands of jobs that may be created. The White House also notes passing USMCA will boost U.S. GDP by as much as $100 billion per year, according to Kudlow.
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Mexico and Canada are eager to get the ball rolling as those countries will also see an economic benefit from the USMCA.
At least one Democrat is now saying USMCA could be ratified by Christmas. When asked on Capitol Hill if he thinks this timeline is feasible, House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) said, "I do."
Just last week, Pelosi insisted passing USMCA remains a priority.
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“I’d like to see us get it done this year, I mean, that would be my goal,” Pelosi told reporters on Capitol Hill, adding that she wants the USMCA to “be a template for future trade agreements.”
Last month she said something similar.
Despite her comments, top trade officials say Pelosi is all talk and no action.
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“She fiddles while the USMCA is in the deep freeze," White House trade adviser Peter Navarro told FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo. "The false narrative here is this whole issue about labor enforcement. That problem’s effectively been solved.”