Trade expert demolishes Trump's NAFTA claims: 'Not even close to promise he made to the base'

On Monday, President Donald Trump announced a new trade deal with Mexico. In his press conference, the president said he'd destroyed NAFTA, which he described as a horrible deal for Americans.

MSNBC took a closer look at the claim and found that the president's deal with Mexico hardly spells the doom of NAFTA.

"This is really the sausage being made," MSNBC anchor Ali Velshi asked Matt Gold, former deputy assistant U.S. trade representative for North America. "But it's important to understand."

"NAFTA ... all parties agree that there was going to be some sort of renegotiation that was already in the books. The president represented this as he destroyed NAFTA he'll do this new deal, maybe Canada will join, but the train's leaving the station without them... tell me what this really is," Velshi asked.

"What this really is is another step in the process of re-negotiating NAFTA," Gold pointed out.

Gold pointed out that Trump is using the Mexico deal to put pressure on Canada. He's also signaling to his base ahead of the midterms. But the deal itself doesn't dismantle NAFTA.

Gold pointed out that the Mexico deal isn't a bad one. It just falls far short of Trump's pledge to his base.

"If you look at it, is it good, yes. Is it what he promised his constituents who voted for him to as he promised overhaul NAFTA? No, not even close."

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