North America’s free-trade agreement is set to be scrutinized as part of a sweeping investigation into U.S. trade policy that was ordered by President Donald Trump, who is pushing an “America first” approach to business matters upon his return to the White House.
Mr. Trump ordered several cabinet secretaries and senior officials on Monday to investigate a slew of trade issues, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the U.S.’s persistent trade deficits and new export opportunities. Mr. Trump has requested reports and recommendations on trade policy by April 1.
Despite that timeline, the U.S. President reiterated on Tuesday evening that he intends to enact 25-per-cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Feb. 1. He said the steep levies are unrelated to other trade concerns, such as renegotiation of the USMCA, which is up for review in 2026.
Mr. Trump appeared to be pushing back on a Wall Street Journal article, which …