Paula Dwyer , Columnist

Trump's Wrong. Nafta Was Good for the U.S. and Mexico

The good news is the Republican nominee didn't disavow the deal, and even called for fixes free-traders like.

September 1, 2016 at 7:38 PM UTC

Paula Dwyer is a senior editor with the New York editing hub, focusing on daily and long-form enterprise. She was London bureau chief for Businessweek and Washington economics editor for the New York Times, and is a co-author of “Take on the Street: How to Fight for Your Financial Future.

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The North American Free Trade Agreement, Donald Trump said on Wednesday, "has been a far greater benefit to Mexico" than the U.S. Just minutes before, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, standing by Trump's side in Mexico City, said Nafta had done both countries "a lot of good."

Trump disagrees over which country benefited the most, but he didn't disavow Nafta altogether. He even called for keeping industry "in our hemisphere" rather than letting it move to China. Both agreed the 22-year-old trade deal is long in the tooth and could be modernized, with Trump calling for improved pay and working conditions "to create better results for both countries." And he said a "strong, prosperous and vibrant Mexico" is in the best interest of the U.S.