The
U.S. needs to stay engaged on trade and avoid missteps in the NAFTA 2.0 process
will be one of the messages delivered today by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
President Tom Donohue as he presents the group's annual State of American
Business.
"The
American economy has taken several big steps forward with regulatory relief and
tax reform, and the administration deserves lots of credit. But a wrong move on
NAFTA would send us five steps back," Donohue will say, according to
excerpts of his remarks released ahead of the speech. "The bottom line is
growth will be weakened, not strengthened or sustained, if we pull back from
trade." Long a big backer of free trade agreements, the Chamber has also
been openly critical of the approach taken by the Trump administration.