Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeJeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden Maybe they just don't like cowboys: The president is successful, some just don't like his style MORE (Ariz.), a staunch critic of President Trump, is joining a group of his GOP Senate colleagues at the White House Tuesday for a lunch with the president on trade.

The White House said the senators, including Flake, reached out to to meet with Trump “to discuss trade priorities and their shared goal of American economic dominance.”

Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander Andrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderGraham: GOP has votes to confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy This week: Supreme Court fight over Ginsburg's seat upends Congress's agenda MORE (Tenn.), Joni Ernst Joni Kay ErnstThe Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Liberal super PAC launches ads targeting vulnerable GOP senators over SCOTUS fight Romney backs pre-election Supreme Court vote, paving way for McConnell, Trump MORE (Iowa), Deb Fischer Debra (Deb) Strobel FischerHillicon Valley: Election officials prepare for new Russian interference battle | 'Markeyverse' of online fans helps take down a Kennedy | GOP senators unveil bill to update tech liability protections Google, Apple, eBay to meet virtually with lawmakers for tech group's annual fly-in Congress botched the CFPB's leadership — here's how to fix it MORE (Neb.), Cory Gardner Cory Scott GardnerOvernight Health Care: US coronavirus deaths hit 200,000 | Ginsburg's death puts future of ObamaCare at risk | Federal panel delays vote on initial COVID-19 vaccine distribution The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (Colo.) and Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin GrahamSenate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report The Hill's Campaign Report: GOP set to ask SCOTUS to limit mail-in voting Senate GOP sees early Supreme Court vote as political booster shot MORE (S.C.) are also attending the White House lunch.

Chief of staff John Kelly John Francis KellyMORE, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, legislative affairs director Marc Short and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer Robert (Bob) Emmet LighthizerWhiskey, workers and friends caught in the trade dispute crossfire GOP senator warns quick vote on new NAFTA would be 'huge mistake' Pelosi casts doubt on USMCA deal in 2019 MORE are also dining with the president.

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Flake’s inclusion is surprising. He has been deeply critical of Trump and denounced the president during a blistering Senate floor speech in October announcing he will not seek reelection next year.

But all six senators meeting with Trump are proponents of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and are expected to urge the president to keep the U.S. in the pact.

The threat of a possible U.S. withdrawal has shadowed tense talks with Mexico and Canada to renegotiate the agreement, sparking fears that Trump could pull out if negotiations collapse.

While announcing his decision not to seek reelection, Flake lamented that free-trade Republicans are losing their place in the party.

“It is clear at this moment that a traditional conservative who believes in limited government and free markets, who is devoted to free trade, and who is pro-immigration, has a narrower and narrower path to nomination in the Republican Party — the party that for so long has defined itself by belief in those things,” he said.