US Trade Representative eyes interim trade deals with Canada, Mexico by year-end

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he hopes to reach interim trade arrangements with Canada and Mexico by the end of the year as the US, Mexico, and Canada renegotiate a free trade agreement.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is now subject to annual reviews after the US decided not to renew the trade pact for a 16-year extension. Canada is a major supplier of steel, aluminum, lithium, natural gas, oil and electric power to the US, while Mexico supplies silver and steel to the US. On July 20, the US imposed fresh new tariffs on Canadian goods, but metals were largely excluded.

"I'm hopeful that before the end of the year we can have at least options for President Trump and the leaders of Canada and/or Mexico to consider potential interim arrangements, or things that Canada can do on the one hand and Mexico can do on the other hand, to strengthen enforcement to improve their commitments toward us," Greer told the Senate Finance Committee on July 22. "I would love to have, between now and the end of the year, at least some arrangements, one with Canada, one with Mexico," he added.

Greer said the US is seeking stronger rules of origin to incentivize production in North America and to strengthen labor and environmental enforcement, specifically in Mexico.

He also told lawmakers that US President Donald Trump's decision to postpone the USMCA renewal was driven in part by the US' sizable trade deficit with Mexico and the perceived lack of investment in the US automotive industry.

Greer said he was scheduled to travel to Mexico later on July 22 for negotiations.

The US trade representative also indicated that the Trump administration's trade policy, which heavily relies on trade agreements and tariffs - including 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum and most recently 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports - will not change.

"The specific authorities this administration is using have changed, but the trade strategy has not," Greer said. "We are committed to continuing to use tariffs and to negotiate deals to support the reindustrialization of our economy, protect American workers and increase their wages and shrink our trade deficit," Greer told the Senate Finance Committee.

Greer backs trade tools for critical materials

Greer also committed to using trade tools to address market manipulation for certain critical minerals and materials used in domestic metals production.

Greer faced questions from Sen. Steve Daines, Republican-Montana, about Russian palladium being dumped into the US at low prices.

South African mining company Sibanye-Stillwater announced in 2024 production cuts and layoffs affecting 700 workers at its Montana platinum and palladium mining operations amid weak palladium prices.

Palladium, used primarily in the automotive industry and electronics, is listed on the US Geological Survey's 2025 critical mineral list.

"I am supportive anywhere where there's a distorted market," Greer said. "We want to get those fixed. We want to make sure that our miners have a level playing field, especially for a critical mineral like palladium."

Sen. Tina Smith, Democrat-Minnesota, questioned Greer about trade policies that could boost domestic production of taconite, a low-grade iron ore used in steelmaking that is produced primarily in the Iron Range of northern Minnesota.

US iron ore producer Cleveland-Cliffs partially idled the Minnesota-based Hibbing Taconite Mine and fully idled the Minorca Mine, an iron ore mine and taconite processing plant, in March 2025.

"I think there are trade tools we can use because we are so import-dependent right now on some of these inputs. I think that if we fade something in in a short period of time to signal to the market domestic taconite is where it's at and where it's going to be, we can wean ourselves off over time," Greer said.