Will the U.S. Renew USMCA?

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recently addressed a wide range of trade issues, from tariffs to USMCA a much more.  Greer said the Trump Administration will hold fast to a policy that’s roiled American agriculture.

“The U.S. is going to have tariffs, right?" Greer said.  "I mean, even with somebody like Mexico or other countries that are in our own hemisphere, we’re going to have tariffs…as long as we have a giant trade deficit, we’re going to have tariffs, right?”

Working Around The Supreme Court's Decision

That includes 301 and 232 tariffs to replace those the Supreme Court struck down.  As for interim Section 122, the 10% global tariffs invalidated by a U.S. trade court.

“So, this is an interesting question," Greer said.  "I might get in a little trouble here.  So, when you look at that statute, it says they expire.  It doesn’t say when you can redo it, right?”

When it comes to USMCA, would Greer negotiate separate deals with Mexico and Canada, or perhaps not with Canada, due to things like its dairy tariffs?

“The team, right now, is in Mexico, my team, and they’re negotiating with Mexico on a bilateral basis," Greer said.  "I speak with some regularity to our Canadian counterparts. Our sense is that we have, with Canada, some trade challenges, which some people might think are just irritants. To us, they’re significant.”

USMCA's Deadline Is Fast Approaching

Greer said only two countries, Canada and China, have retaliated against the U.S. over its reciprocal tariffs.  He still claims that some trade with Canada in fertilizer and energy will be fine despite USMCA, which Greer must extend, cancel, or keep renegotiating after July 1st.

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