LePage tells Canadians: Trump ‘truly believes’ in free trade

Maine’s Republican governor is reassuring Canadian leaders that President Donald Trump “truly believes” in having free trade, and they shouldn’t read too much into what they hear.

Gov. Paul LePage and other New England governors met with Eastern Canadian premiers on Monday to discuss Canadian-U.S. trade relations, days after Trump threatened to abandon the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Softwood lumber, NAFTA, climate change and energy are on the agenda for meetings in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The conference includes tours of renewable energy facilities and food companies on Tuesday.

Trump, a Republican, drew cheers at a campaign-style rally last week after he said he believes Mexico and Canada are coming out ahead on the 23-year-old agreement. Meanwhile, negotiations on a NAFTA overhaul recently began in Washington.