Democrats will not pass USMCA, Trump predicts

US President Donald Trump on Friday said he does not believe congressional Democrats will approve the updated North American trade agreement he signed last year with Canada and Mexico.

In another lengthy on-air dial-in interview with Fox News, the president said House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi was too beholden to labour interests to take action.

"Richard Trumka has her mortified," Trump said, referring to the president of the AFL-CIO, the largest American federation of labor unions. "She won't do USMCA." Pelosi is currently in negotiations with the Trump administration over modifications to strengthen oversight of Mexican labor laws but has sent positive signals in recent days.

She told reporters this month that passage in the House could occur "this year," adding that an agreement was "imminent" and the Senate could take up the matter quickly.

But Trump said Friday he doubted Pelosi would take the final steps.

"I predict she won't even do it," he said.

A year ago, the United States, Mexico and Canada signed an update to the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, changing rules on auto and digital trade, Mexican labor laws, intellectual property and dispute settlement systems for investors. Mexican lawmakers ratified the deal in June.