WASHINGTON, April 7 – Negotiations to modify the North American trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada will probably extend beyond the July 1 target date, according to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, who spoke Tuesday at a Hudson Institute gathering.
While the Trump administration plans to address as many trade issues as possible before the summer deadline, Greer indicated the discussions to restructure the commercial arrangement will likely require additional time. He suggested the U.S. might need to consider withdrawing from the current North American trade framework to allow negotiations to continue.
Speaking about the administration’s position, Greer noted that President Donald Trump “has been clear that he is dissatisfied with a lot of the outcomes of USMCA,” particularly citing increased automotive shipments from Mexico and rising steel and aluminum imports from both neighboring nations.
The trade representative acknowledged that despite valuable components within the USMCA framework – which Trump signed in 2020 as a replacement for the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement – separate negotiating approaches will be necessary for Mexico and Canada due to distinct trade circumstances with each country.
Discussions with Mexico have already begun, while talks with Canada are expected to commence in May. The three nations face a July 1 requirement to either approve extending the current USMCA or indicate their intent to withdraw from the agreement, which would trigger a decade-long exit process that could provide additional time for modifications.
“So I think that we aren’t probably going to resolve all issues by July 1,” Greer stated, while emphasizing that his office would work to address as many concerns as possible before that date. He also mentioned the need to inform Congress about U.S. intentions regarding the trade agreement by June 1.
