New Data on Mexican Truck Exports Underscores Importance of Section 232 Protections
WASHINGTON, D.C. — New data showing a sharp increase in Mexican heavy-duty truck production and exports to the United States underscores the importance of maintaining strong tariff protections that encourage commercial vehicle production and investment in the United States, the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) said today.
According to a report from Transport Topics, titled ‘Mexico Production Booms in July,’ Mexican production of heavy-duty trucks and buses climbed 51.8% year-over-year in July, reaching 14,675 units. Exports increased 66.7% to 13,117 vehicles, with more than 90% of that volume destined for the U.S. market.
The data demonstrates the powerful role that trade policy plays in determining where future commercial vehicle production and investment occurs.
“These numbers underscore exactly why strong Section 232 protections matter,” said Jon Toomey, president of CPA. “America has the workers, suppliers, infrastructure, and manufacturing capability to build these vehicles here. Our trade policy should make the United States the most attractive place to manufacture trucks for the American market – not create an incentive to locate the next production line outside our borders.”
CPA strongly supports manufacturers that maintain and expand production in the United States and welcomes recent announcements of additional domestic investment and capacity.
“The objective here is straightforward: reward companies for building in America,” Toomey continued. “Manufacturers making major investments in U.S. workers and facilities should know that American trade policy will reinforce those investments. Strong tariffs on imported commercial vehicles help ensure that the economics favor producing the next truck, expanding the next shift, and building the next plant here in the United States.”
CPA urged the Trump administration to maintain strong Section 232 protections for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and ensure that any future trade negotiations do not weaken the incentives supporting domestic commercial vehicle production.
“Section 232 protections should provide manufacturers with a clear and durable signal: if you invest and produce in America, U.S. trade policy will stand behind you,” Toomey said.
CPA previously submitted comments in the Section 232 investigation of the domestic trucking sector in May 2025, and applauded the Trump administration’s October 2025 decision to impose tariffs on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
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