And about 40 percent of the nearly two million vehicles the United States exports go to its Nafta
partners, according to data compiled by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Mich.
A tug-of-war over revising Nafta could disrupt Mexican car-making, which has grown rapidly in the past decade,
but there would be consequences for the United States, as well.
After telephone calls with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said he would start the process of renegotiating Nafta, a treaty
that he had scorned during his presidential campaign, calling it “the single worst trade deal” ever signed by the United States.
In a recent study, the research center concluded that withdrawing from Nafta, or restricting automotive trade, would increase
costs for manufacturers in the United States, make its auto sector less competitive, and lower the returns for investors.
Changes could also raise prices for consumers, and there are manufacturing jobs to consider — as well as related jobs in retailing, shipping and other industries
that would be indirectly affected — according to Stephen E. Lamar, executive vice president at the American Apparel & Footwear Association.
American textile producers shipped more than $11 billion in goods to Canada
and Mexico last year, according to Lloyd Wood, the director of public affairs for the National Council of Textile Organizations, an industry trade group.
The sector is a major employer in all three member nations — Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Hundreds of thousands of workers in the United States are tied to the industry, while Mexico
and Canada each rely on automaking for tens of thousands of jobs.