The Latest: Trump says he won’t pull US out of NAFTA

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the North American Free Trade Agreement (all times EDT):

10:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump has told the leaders of Mexico and Canada that he will not pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The White House made the surprise announcement in a read-out of calls Wednesday between the world leaders.

The White House says the president “agreed not to terminate NAFTA at this time.”

Instead, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “agreed to proceed swiftly, according to their required internal procedures, to enable the renegotiation” of the trade deal to “the benefit of all three countries.”

Trump has blamed NAFTA for American job losses.

He says he believes “that the end result will make all three countries stronger and better.”

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7:44 p.m.

President Donald Trump is considering signing a draft executive order to withdraw the U.S. from the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada.

But it’s just one of a number of options being discussed.

Senior White House officials have been discussing steps that can be taken to start the process of renegotiating or withdrawing from NAFTA before the end of Trump’s first 100 days in office, according to a person familiar with the president’s thinking.

Trump railed against the decades-old trade deal during his campaign, describing it as a “disaster.”

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations.

The official says a number of options remain on the table.

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