President Trump’s aggressive trade strategy accelerated on two fronts Monday, with the White House pressing China to quickly follow through on commitments made over the weekend while simultaneously clashing with lawmakers over a fragile North America pact.
On Monday, White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow said Trump was expecting immediate concessions from China as part of a broad package of changes both countries agreed to pursue during the Group of 20 summit in Argentina.
At the same time, Trump’s updated North America trade proposal was encountering a rough reception on Capitol Hill, where both parties have deep divisions over trade that will be on full display as a newly Democratic-controlled House takes up the pact along with the Republican-led Senate.
Both discussions, driven largely by Trump and U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, are at the center of the White House’s agenda and could have profound implications for the global economy if negotiations collapse.
