Trump Administration Playing by the Book on USMCA Approval

Politico says the Trump Administration is taking an unusual approach in trying to talk lawmakers into supporting the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal. They’re following a “traditional playbook.” White House officials have dozens of meetings with rank-and-file lawmakers as they try to “charm” Democrats into getting behind Trump’s signature trade achievement. The administration wants a vote on the trade deal by this summer. However, there are still large numbers of Democrats who say no to the deal unless several substantial changes get made. There’s also the specter of Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs hanging over the discussions. Tomato growers in Texas and Florida are pushing against each other over a six-year-old tomato deal with Mexico. The Commerce Department wants to scrap the deal, which the Florida growers are in favor of while Texas is pushing back against the idea. Florida growers want to relaunch an anti-dumping investigation against Mexico. The dispute could complicate the administration’s efforts to get the new trade deal ratified. Dozens of border state trade groups wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, asking him to negotiate a deal that addresses grower concerns but to not withdraw from the six-year-old pact.