Leibowitz on Trade: Can Trump Terminate NAFTA?

Lewis Leibowitz, trade attorney and contributor to Steel Market Update, offers the following commentary on the latest developments in Washington:

A reader asked recently about the ability of the president to withdraw the United States from the NAFTA agreement, should negotiations for a new agreement with Canada and Mexico falter. While the U.S. and Mexico have announced a tentative agreement, Canada has not gone along as yet. So, the question of what the president might do if an agreement is not reached is a real one. The answer to this question also has potential impact on other presidential prerogatives, including “national security” tariffs and quotas, and Section 301 remedies.