AP source: Obama tells House Dems he'll give Congress more details about pending trade deals

President Barack Obama has told House Democrats he'll give them more information about the specifics in the trade deals he's negotiating overseas.

That's according to a staffer who was in the room for Obama's meeting with House Democrats on Thursday.

Obama eagerly wants to finalize trade deals in Europe and Asia. His strongest opposition in Congress has come from Democrats who fear free-trade deals will harm workers. They want more information before agreeing to up-or-down votes on the deals.

The staffer says Obama told Democrats previous trade deals haven't been perfect but these new ones will improve the status quo. He told lawmakers the U.S. can't afford to let China set rules for global trade.

The staffer wasn't authorized to discuss a private meeting and requested anonymity.