NAFTA deal in hand, Trump pulled the rug from under his own team

Now he’s using the obscure Section 232 of the U.S. 1962 Trade Expansion Act to investigate whether vehicle imports are a threat to national security. In the words of one ex-official, there are 232 reasons why that’s a stupid idea.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump, pictured at the White House on Feb. 13, 2017. Mr. Trudeau raised concerns to Mr. Trump in a May 25 phone call about the president's latest Section 232 probe on imported autos.White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Opinion

BY LES WHITTINGTON

May 30, 2018

OTTAWA—Canada, the United States, and Mexico had a new NAFTA agreement in hand but U.S. President Donald Trump changed his mind about what should be in the deal and nixed it. After nine months of gruelling negotiations, the outlook for the overhaul of the 24-year-old free trade pact took a turn f...

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