Online source Axios reports that President Donald Trump told U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to portray him as a “crazy guy” during the upcoming U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement meeting. South Korea will host the meeting with Lighthizer this week to discuss “ways to move forward” with KORUS. The meeting is the second on KORUS, following discussion between Korea and U.S. trade officials last month in Washington, D.C. In a conversation with cabinet members last month, Axios says Trump told Lighthizer “you’ve got 30 days,” to get conditions, or he would withdraw from the agreement. But, in the discussion, Trump went further, and said: “You tell them, ‘This guy’s so crazy he could pull out any minute.'” Trump followed up with “by the way, I might,” if the U.S. doesn’t get trade concessions from Korea. According to a USTR fact sheet, Korea is currently the fifth largest U.S. agricultural export market, with beef leading the way, followed by lemons, shelled almonds, cheese, cherries and wine and beer.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.