Trump calls NAFTA 'worst trade deal,' but study shows bolstering it could add 63K AZ jobs

(AZ Central, Feb 25,2018): Economists have predicted that if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S. could see widespread job losses.
Economist Ray Perryman, meanwhile, has looked at what could happen if America were to instead remove existing trade barriers with Mexico​​​​. An analysis by the Texas economist concluded such a move could create more than 700,000 new jobs — including 63,000 in Arizona — and add at least $69 billion to the U.S. economy.
“While NAFTA has dealt with tariffs, there are still barriers such as long wait times at the border or insufficiencies in certain types of infrastructure,” Perryman said about potential areas for improvement between the two countries. “Improving security could also increase potential commerce.”
The study was commissioned by Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, a Texas-based non-profit that promotes cultural and economic ties between the U.S. and Mexico.
Trump has used the growing trade deficit to attack NAFTA, calling it one of the “worst trade deals ever,” and repeatedly threatening to pull out if the U.S. don’t get a more favorable deal.