LEAVE IT ALONE: The Trump administration has received more than 1,500 comments full of advice regarding the future of USMCA, which faces a mandatory review in 2026 — the sixth anniversary of its entry into force.
In a new policy memo, Gresser, who is vice president and director for trade and global markets at the Progressive Policy Institute, a centrist Democratic think tank, called for a “let well enough alone” approach to the North American trade pact.
“Congress should make it clear [to the Trump administration] that the USMCA does not need major changes at this point, and that policy should instead focus on ending these self-created crises,” Gresser wrote, referring to tariffs the president has imposed on Canada and Mexico this year.
If the administration insists on proceeding, lawmakers should reassert their constitutional authority over trade by passing legislation to terminate Trump’s tariff actions, establish key negotiating objectives for trade agreements and require any tariff changes be approved by Congress, Gresser said.
