USTR Greer Pushes USMCA Speed, Targets Rules of Origin
Trade Representative Greer told senators the U.S. aims for interim USMCA deals with Canada and Mexico by year-end while toughening North American manufacturing rules.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer testified before the Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, telling lawmakers the administration is moving with urgency on USMCA renegotiations and hopes to lock in interim arrangements with Canada and Mexico before the end of 2025. Greer stressed that strengthening rules of origin to incentivize North American production sits at the heart of the administration's trade strategy, though he cautioned that some complex provisions — including labor and environmental standards — could push final resolution into next year.
Greer described Mexico as a pragmatic negotiating partner that remains economically reliant on U.S. market access, a dynamic he suggested gives Washington meaningful leverage. On Canada, he acknowledged a working relationship remains intact despite recent tariff announcements, but made clear Ottawa has yet to offer substantive trade concessions. The administration's stated goal is to shrink the bilateral deficit while drawing more manufacturing back to American soil.
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On China, Greer said regular talks with Beijing are ongoing on critical minerals, an area where the U.S. is simultaneously trying to accelerate domestic production to reduce dependency on Chinese supply chains. He noted Washington can press China on fertilizer export restrictions during negotiations but urged realistic expectations about outcomes. He also argued that lower environmental standards abroad — citing Brazil's deforestation practices as a specific example that disadvantages U.S. farmers — justify higher tariff barriers as a competitive corrective.
Greer also pointed to the agricultural sector, stating the U.S. is on track to become an agricultural trade surplus nation again, while the administration works to maintain and expand farm market access across North America. The wide-ranging testimony underscores how the Trump administration is using trade talks as a multifaceted tool, linking manufacturing, agriculture, environmental policy, and critical minerals strategy into a single negotiating framework.
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