U.S. Dashes Hopes for Quick Nafta Deal, Saying Differences Are ‘Gaping’

President Donald Trump’s chief Nafta negotiator said the U.S., Canada and Mexico are "nowhere near close to a deal" to update the region’s 24-year-old free-trade pact as U.S. lawmakers warn that time is almost up to reach a agreement that can pass the current Congress.

“There are gaping differences on intellectual property, agricultural market access, de minimis levels, energy, labor, rules of origin, geographical indications, and much more,” U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Thursday in a statement e-mailed by his press office. “We of course will continue to engage in negotiations, and I look forward to working with my counterparts to secure the best possible deal for American farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses.”