U.S. keeps tariffs on USMCA goods

Published May 27, 2026 by The Daily Scout

- Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as Washington opens talks to revise USMCA. (whbl.com) - Greer told a Council on Foreign Relations event the United States has a “giant trade deficit” and “significant” unresolved trade issues with Canada. (whbl.com) - The next formal milestone is the USMCA joint review on July 1, 2026, a process USTR outlined in a 2025 notice. (ustr.gov)

Why it matters

Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico even as Washington begins negotiations to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The U.S. trade representative said the policy would stay in place while the United States runs what he called a “giant trade deficit,” according to remarks reported from a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington. (whbl.com) Greer also said U.S. trade issues with Canada were “significant,” drawing a sharper line with Ottawa as the administration heads into the pact’s first formal review. The comments matter because USMCA was designed as North America’s governing trade framework, and its joint review is scheduled for July 1, 2026. (ustr.gov) The review does not automatically end the pact, but it is the mechanism the three governments use to decide whether to extend it toward its 2036 sunset date. ### What exactly did Greer say about tariffs? Jamieson Greer said, “The U.S. is going to have tariffs,” in remarks reported Tuesday from the Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington. Reuters, cited by multiple outlets, reported that Greer tied that stance to the U.S. trade deficit and said tariffs would remain on imports from Mexico and Canada as negotiations proceed. (whbl.com) Canada drew the more pointed language. Greer said the United States has “significant” trade issues with Canada, while bilateral negotiations with Mexico were moving ahead separately, according to the same reports. (ustr.gov) ### How does that fit with a trade pact that is already in force? The USMCA entered into force on July 1, 2020, and the agreement requires a joint review on July 1, 2026. USTR said in a September 2025 notice that it was starting the consultation process required under U.S. law ahead of that review, including requests for public comments and a public hearing. (whbl.com) Congressional Research Service said the July 2026 review is tied to the agreement’s “review and term extension” provision. Under that structure, USMCA is scheduled to terminate on July 1, 2036 unless the three countries agree to continue it through the review process. (whbl.com) ### Why is Canada getting singled out? Greer said at the Washington event that Canada’s posture differed from that of other countries that had, in his words, “begrudgingly” accepted some level of tariffs while continuing negotiations, according to Canadian and U.S. reports on the remarks. Those reports said Canada was in a “different spot,” though they did not, in the excerpts available, spell out a fresh list of disputed sectors in the same detail. (ustr.gov) CFR President Michael Froman wrote earlier this month that the future of North American trade was already likely to be shaped by the coming review and by Washington’s broader hemispheric trade agenda. (congress.gov) That framing does not add new tariff policy on its own, but it places Greer’s comments inside a negotiation calendar that was already underway. ### What does this change for companies buying across North America? Tariffs apply at the border, but the immediate effect for importers is on landed cost, customs treatment and supplier pricing. Because many U.S. manufacturers buy components, packaging or subassemblies from Canada or Mexico, any tariff that remains in place can change the cost of goods even when the finished product is assembled in the United States. (toronto.citynews.ca) This is an inference from how cross-border supply chains work under USMCA and from Greer’s statement that tariffs will remain in place during the review period. ### What happens next? July 1, 2026 is the next formal date to watch because that is when the USMCA joint review is scheduled to occur. (cfr.org) USTR’s consultation notice and the Federal Register filing set that timetable, and Greer’s comments indicate tariffs will still be part of the U.S. position as that process begins. (ustr.gov) (whbl.com)

Key numbers

Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as Washington opens talks to revise USMCA.
(whbl.com) The next formal milestone is the USMCA joint review on July 1, 2026, a process USTR outlined in a 2025 notice.
(ustr.gov) Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico even as Washington begins negotiations to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The comments matter because USMCA was designed as North America’s governing trade framework, and its joint review is scheduled for July 1, 2026.

What happens next

Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico even as Washington begins negotiations to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
The comments matter because USMCA was designed as North America’s governing trade framework, and its joint review is scheduled for July 1, 2026.
Under that structure, USMCA is scheduled to terminate on July 1, 2036 unless the three countries agree to continue it through the review process.

Sources

Quick answers

What happened in U.S. keeps tariffs on USMCA goods?

Jamieson Greer said on May 26 the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as Washington opens talks to revise USMCA. (whbl.com) Greer told a Council on Foreign Relations event the United States has a “giant trade deficit” and “significant” unresolved trade issues with Canada. (whbl.com) The next formal milestone is the USMCA joint review on July 1, 2026, a process USTR outlined in a 2025 notice. (ustr.gov)

Why does U.S. keeps tariffs on USMCA goods matter?

Jamieson Greer said on May 26 that the United States will keep tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico even as Washington begins negotiations to revise the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The U.S. trade representative said the policy would stay in place while the United States runs what he called a “giant trade deficit,” according to remarks reported from a Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington. (whbl.com) Greer also said U.S. trade issues with Canada were “significant,” drawing a sharper line with Ottawa as the administration heads into the pact’s first formal review. The comments matter because USMCA was designed as North America’s governing trade framework, and its joint review is scheduled for July 1, 2026. (ustr.gov) The review does not automatically end the pact, but it is the mechanism the three governments use to decide whether to extend it toward its 2036 sunset date. What exactly did Greer say about tariffs? Jamieson Greer said, “The U.S. is going to have tariffs,” in remarks reported Tuesday from the Council on Foreign Relations event in Washington. Reuters, cited by multiple outlets, reported that Greer tied that stance to the U.S. trade deficit and said tariffs would remain on imports from Mexico and Canada as negotiations proceed. (whbl.com) Canada drew the more pointed language. Greer said the United States has “significant” trade issues with Canada, while bilateral negotiations with Mexico were moving ahead separately, according to the same reports. (ustr.gov) How does that fit with a trade pact that is already in force? The USMCA entered into force on July 1, 2020, and the agreement requires a joint review on July 1, 2026. USTR said in a September 2025 notice that it was starting the consultation process required under U.S. law ahead of that review, including requests for public comments and a public hearing. (whbl.com) Congressional Research Service said the July 2026 review is tied to the agreement’s “review and term extension” provision. Under that structure, USMCA is scheduled to terminate on July 1, 2036 unless the three countries agree to continue it through the review process. (whbl.com) Why is Canada getting singled out? Greer said at the Washington event that Canada’s posture differed from that of other countries that had, in his words, “begrudgingly” accepted some level of tariffs while continuing negotiations, according to Canadian and U.S. reports on the remarks. Those reports said Canada was in a “different spot,” though they did not, in the excerpts available, spell out a fresh list of disputed sectors in the same detail. (ustr.gov) CFR President Michael Froman wrote earlier this month that the future of North American trade was already likely to be shaped by the coming review and by Washington’s broader hemispheric trade agenda. (congress.gov) That framing does not add new tariff policy on its own, but it places Greer’s comments inside a negotiation calendar that was already underway. What does this change for companies buying across North America? Tariffs apply at the border, but the immediate effect for importers is on landed cost, customs treatment and supplier pricing. Because many U.S. manufacturers buy components, packaging or subassemblies from Canada or Mexico, any tariff that remains in place can change the cost of goods even when the finished product is assembled in the United States. (toronto.citynews.ca) This is an inference from how cross-border supply chains work under USMCA and from Greer’s statement that tariffs will remain in place during the review period. What happens next? July 1, 2026 is the next formal date to watch because that is when the USMCA joint review is scheduled to occur. (cfr.org) USTR’s consultation notice and the Federal Register filing set that timetable, and Greer’s comments indicate tariffs will still be part of the U.S. position as that process begins. (ustr.gov) (whbl.com)