Trump prepares to start North American trade deal renegotiation – Wall Street Journal with the report (gated)
Here we go again … The United States is preparing to reopen talks on its biggest free trade agreement, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is expected to launch public consultations within the next month, a step required under the 2020 law that implemented the deal. Requests for input from companies and unions could be issued as early as this week, according to people familiar with the plans, though the Trump administration has previously delayed the timeline.
These consultations mark the first step in what is likely to be a lengthy renegotiation of the pact, which includes a mandatory six-year review. After soliciting comments, the administration must hold at least one public hearing and provide a briefing to Congress in January 2026, ahead of the first formal trilateral review meeting set for July 1, 2026.
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Trump oversaw the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in his first term. As far as trade deals go it was solid and a notable achievement. he trashed in the opening weeks of this second term though, saying it was a terrible deal.