Ambassador Lighthizer Celebrates USMCA’s Entry Into Force Today

Editor’s Note: Today, July 1, the new USMCA comes into force, replacing NAFTA. In this note, USTR Robert Lighthizer explains the expected benefits of USMCA. 


Landmark trade agreement fulfills core Trump promise to end job-killing NAFTA

[The Office of the United States Trade Representative | July 1, 2020 | USTR.gov]

Washington, DC –  The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters into force today, replacing the job-killing NAFTA failure and fulfilling a core promise President Trump made to the American people.

The USMCA, which President Trump successfully negotiated in 2018, rebalances trade between the three countries and will lead to significant economic and job growth in the United States.

At President Trump’s direction, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer worked closely with Congress to win overwhelming bipartisan approval of the USMCA. 

Ambassador Lighthizer issued the following statement about USMCA’s entry into force: 

“Today marks the beginning of a new and better chapter for trade between the United States, Mexico and Canada – just as President Trump promised he would deliver for the American people.   

“From day one of his Administration, President Trump has changed the focus of America’s trade policy away from what is best for big, multi-national corporations to instead what is best for America’s workers, farmers and ranchers.  That’s a monumental change.  His success in creating a bipartisan consensus on this new model for trade policy — in spite of the establishment critics who said it couldn’t be done — is truly remarkable.

“The USMCA contains significant improvements and modernized approaches that will deliver more jobs, stronger worker protections, expanded market access, and greater opportunities to trade for companies large and small.  We have worked closely with the governments of Mexico and Canada to ensure that the obligations and responsibilities of all three nations under the agreement have been met, and we will continue to do so to ensure the USMCA is enforced.

“The recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrates that now, more than ever, the United States must stop the outsourcing of jobs and increase our manufacturing capacity and investment here at home.  With the USMCA’s entry into force, we take another giant step forward in reaching this goal and advancing President Trump’s vision for pro-worker trade policies.”

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NOTE:  For more information, visit www.ustr.gov/usmca.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative · Washington, D.C. 20508 · www.ustr.gov · 202-395-3230

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