President Donald Trump said Saturday night that he will formally terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement 'shortly.'

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Argentina, after a two-day meeting with the leaders of other major world economies, Trump said he would provide formal notice to Congress.

The move will give lawmakers six months to approve the replacement he signed on Friday during the G-20 summit or revert to pre-NAFTA trade rules.

President Donald Trump said Saturday night that he will formally terminate the North American Free Trade Agreement 'shortly'

The move will give lawmakers in Congress six months to approve the replacement Trump signed on Friday during the G-20 summit or revert to pre-NAFTA trade rules

Trump said Congress can choose between the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or 'pre-NAFTA, which works very well'

'We (will) get rid of NAFTA,' he told reporters. 'It's been a disaster for the United States.'

Trump signed the new deal with the president of Mexico and Canada's prime minister, following through on a campaign promise he made to renegotiate the long controversial NAFTA agreement.

Seeking to gain leverage with skeptical lawmakers to approve the revised trade pact, Trump said Congress 'will have a choice' as it considers the agreement he signed.

He said they can choose between the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or 'pre-NAFTA, which works very well.'

Trump has made renegotiating NAFTA a centerpiece of his presidency.

The North American Free Trade Agreement went into effect on 1 January 1994 in order to establish a trilateral trade bloc in North America.