What Trump's Pledge to Redo His Own Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico Could Mean

International Trade attorney Francisco Sanchez was quoted in a CNN article analyzing how President-Elect Donald Trump could approach the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). First negotiated under the Trump Administration in 2020, the free trade agreement replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), introducing new provisions such as those involving digital trade and opening Canada's dairy market to U.S. farmers, as well as focusing heavily on the automobile manufacturing industry. Another requirement was a 2026 review of the pact, which Mr. Sanchez said could benefit Trump, who has called for increased tariffs on Mexico and Canada in addition to suggesting he might seek major changes during renegotiations.

"It's a very functional tool for Trump to achieve whatever it is he's hoping to achieve by negotiating," he explained, drawing on his experience as U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Trade under the Obama Administration. "The fact that there is a mechanism in place to discuss a review is, I think, to his advantage."

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