Trump administration announces plans to renegotiate NAFTA

WASHINGTON (AP) — Making good on a campaign promise, the Trump administration is informing Congress that it intends to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico.

U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer has sent a letter to congressional leaders, starting 90 days of consultations with lawmakers over how to revamp the pact. Talks with Canada and Mexico can begin after that.

During the campaign, Donald Trump called NAFTA "a disaster." Last month, White House aides spread word that President Trump was ready to pull out of the agreement. Within hours, the president reversed course, saying he'd seek a better deal first.

"We are going to give renegotiation a good strong shot," Lighthizer says, noting that the 23-year-old agreement needs to better protect American factory workers and to reflect new technologies.