Ohio’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown says he remains hopeful he and President Trump can work together to renegotiate trade agreements. He says he and Trump have talked by phone about “Buy American” priorities, and he’s had repeated meetings with Trump’s economic and trade representatives to discuss revisions to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
“So far so good. But we will hold him accountable to do what he said he’d do. That’s what I do with all presidents. I disagreed with Bush and Clinton and Obama on trade. I’m unhappy with what President Trump did on currency but I agree with him that we need to renegotiate NAFTA and we will work together if we can.”
Last month, Trump backed away from his pledge to label China a currency manipulator.
Brown says the most important change he’d like to see in NAFTA is to ensure labor is represented in negotiations.
“If you get workers at the table, I think you’re going to see better rules. I think you’re going to see ‘Buy America.' I think you’re going to see anti-outsourcing provisions.”
