The North Dakota Trade office hopes U.S. President Donald Trump avoids ramping up the trade talk when he lands in the red state Wednesday.
“Hopefully he will dial back the rhetoric that comes with all this trade talk,” Simon Wilson, Executive Director of the North Dakota Trade Office said. “There is negotiations coming up, and we’re hoping with these negotiations to get it done.”
President Donald Trump is speaking at a rally south of the border in Fargo, North Dakota Wednesday night.
The rally is taking place at 7 p.m. at Sheels Arena.
Trump is in town to support Republican Senate candidate Kevin Cramer, who is currently the state’s congressman.
“We’re really hopeful that it’s productive,” Wilson said. “It’s going to be more of an election style event…and if they keep focus on that, that’s fine.”
“But just dial back some of this trade talk, and some of the things that are impacting both sides of the border for us.”
Last month, Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imposed $16.6 billion worth of tariffs against U.S. imports.
Wilson said the trade war has already impacted manufacturers in North Dakota, with losses between ten and 15 per cent.
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Some other hot button issues Trump is expected not only include trade, but migrants crossing the border, and a travel ban.
The U.S. President’s travel ban, which doesn’t allow people from some predominantly Muslim-majority countries to enter the country, was upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States on Tuesday.
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The current version of the ban, which was announced in September, prohibits most people from seven countries — Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea and Venezuela – from entering the States.
The president has received criticism for his administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, which led to thousands of children being separated from their parents at the U.S. / Mexico border.
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In North Dakota, 87 per cent of exports go to Canada, making up more than $4 billion in trade.
North Dakota was a Trump-supporting state in the 2016 presidential election. A total of 64 per cent of the votes went to support the Republican candidate.
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