Remarks by President Trump after Meeting with Vice Chairman Kim Yong Chol of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea | Eastern North Carolina Now

    THE PRESIDENT: No, I didn't. I haven't seen the letter yet. I purposely didn't open the letter. I haven't opened it. I didn't open it in front of the director.

    I said, "Would you want me to open it?" He said, "You can read it later." I may be in for a big surprise, folks. (Laughter.) So long, everybody.

    Q What's the next move on NAFTA, sir?

    THE PRESIDENT: Well, NAFTA - look, it's been a terrible deal for the United States. People are starting to see it. We lose over $100 billion a year with Mexico. We lose many, many, many billions of dollars with Canada. Canada doesn't take - I mean, they're very restrictive as to taking our agricultural product, and other things.

    And, you know, all of these countries, including the European Union, they charge five times the tariff. We don't charge tariffs, essentially. They charge five times what we charge for tariffs. And I believe in the word "reciprocal." You're going to charge five times? We're going to charge five times. That hasn't been done. No other President ever brought it up. And it's going to be done now.

    So we're negotiating numerous deals. We're talking about NAFTA. To be honest with you, I wouldn't see NAFTA - I wouldn't mind seeing NAFTA, where you'd go by a different name, where you make a separate deal with Canada and a separate deal with Mexico because you're talking about a very different two countries.

    But I wouldn't mind seeing a separate deal with Canada, where you have one type of product, so to speak, and a separate deal with Mexico.

    These are two very difficult countries. It's been a lousy deal for the United States from day one. We lose a lot of money with Canada, and we lose a fortune with Mexico. And it's not going to happen like that anymore.

    I mean, Mexico has taken our car companies, a big percentage of them. And we can't do that. And, look, the American worker agrees with me. Obviously, the stock market agrees because when you look at what's going on with the stocks, they're starting to see I'm right.

    But if you take the European Union and you see the kind of tariff they charge, and then we don't, that's called, "not fair trade." I want fair trade. I like free trade, but I want fair trade. At a minimum, I want fair trade.

    And we're going to have it for our workers and for our companies. And you know what? The other side understands it.

    To be honest with you, they cannot believe that they've gotten away with this for so many decades.

    Q Canada, the UK, some of our closest allies are complaining long and loud about these new tariffs. What do you say to them?

    THE PRESIDENT: They're our allies but they take advantage of us economically. And so I agree - I love Canada. I love Mexico. I love them. But Mexico is making over $100 billion a year and they're not helping us with our border because they have strong laws and we have horrible laws. We have horrible border laws. They have strong - they could solve our border problem if they wanted, but they don't want to. And when they want to, then I'll be happy.

    But I think we have a good chance of doing some great trade deals, and we'll make America great again. Right? That's what we're doing. But America has picked up - we've made about $8 trillion in value since - you know, we're double the size of the economy of China. We've picked up a lot of value, a lot of wealth, since I've been President. More than $8 trillion. And that's a very low number because we're talking stock market wealth. I'm talking about beyond that.

    Our companies are doing great, we're doing great, our military is rebuilding. We have a lot of great things going. We're going to straighten out trade. The trade is going to be easy.

    And other countries understand. You know, when I talk to them, they look at me - and this is in closed doors, not for you people - and they essentially say, "We can't believe we've gotten away with this for so long." It's like, you guys can't believe you've gotten away with it for so long.

    Q (Inaudible.)

    THE PRESIDENT: I want everyone to watch. Because I'll tell you what, we have such a great country. Right now, at this level, I don't think we've ever been, on an economic scale - you look at the numbers: 3.8 percent. We have the lowest numbers of unemployment that we've had - is it 50 years? I think it's 50. Fifty years, right? So we have the best - we have some of the best economic numbers we've ever had as a nation. And that goes a long way. And we're building something very special. Just remember, we're twice the size - our economy - twice the size of China.

    Good meeting today. I think it's a great start.

    Q What's on the agenda for Camp David?

    THE PRESIDENT: Just a little relaxation and a lot of work. We have a lot of calls set up. I'm calling a lot of the foreign leaders. I'm negotiating trade deals. I'm working. I'm working hard for you people.

    Have a good time. Thank you.

    END

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