Trump says Canada ‘difficult, spoiled’ in NAFTA talks

U.S. President Donald Trump says Canada and Mexico are “spoiled” and difficult to deal with in NAFTA negotiations.

But Canadian officials are playing down the comments, insisting progress is still being made — particularly on the pivotal issue of automobiles — toward a deal that will be mutually beneficial to all three countries.

“Mexico has been very difficult to deal with. Canada has been very difficult to deal with,” Trump said Wednesday.

“They have been taking advantage of the United States for a long time. I am not happy with their requests but I will tell you, in the end we win, we will win and we’ll win big.”

Trump said what Canada and Mexico are asking for in a renegotiated NAFTA is “not fair” and he called both countries “spoiled because nobody’s done this” — presumably referring to previous U.S. administrations that have not stood up to their NAFTA partners.

He also predicted that American auto workers “are going to be extremely happy” with what emerges.

That was after starting the day with a tweet suggesting “there will be big news coming soon for our great American autoworkers. After many decades of losing your jobs to other countries, you have waited long enough!”

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday that NAFTA negotiations continue “at a very intense level,” with officials from all three countries in close contact.

Freeland said she’ll let others decide “which adjectives” they’d use to describe Canada’s negotiating stance.

But she said it hasn’t changed since the outset of negotiations last summer, which is to be “absolutely resolute in our defence of the Canadian national interest” while “looking creatively for compromises, for win-win-win solutions.”