U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Tuesday that discussions over the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement are ongoing with Mexico but have encountered greater difficulty in talks with Canada.
Speaking on Fox Business Network, Greer said the administration intends to pursue bilateral negotiations with each partner, rather than consolidating the talks into a single multilateral session.
Greer also drew a clear line between the USMCA negotiations and an unrelated set of talks about the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which spans the Detroit River between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. He said the bridge discussions are separate from the broader trade pact negotiations.
"This negotiation is specific to the bridge," Greer said.
The ambassador's clarification came after a public comment by the U.S. president a day earlier in which he threatened to prevent the opening of the new $4.7 billion bridge as part of a trade dispute with Canada. The president made that threat on Monday, and Greer's remarks on Tuesday addressed the separation of issues tied to the crossing from the USMCA talks.
Greer's comments indicate the administration will continue to engage each country directly on USMCA matters, while treating infrastructure concerns tied to the Gordie Howe project as a distinct negotiation track. The bridge connects two major cross-border cities and the negotiations over its opening have been elevated in recent public statements.
Officials have not collapsed the topics into a single negotiation, according to Greer, and he emphasized that the corridor-specific discussions over the bridge require their own focus.
While Greer flagged progress with Mexico, he said Canada has presented more challenging issues in the talks. He did not offer further detail on the substance of the difficulties or on precise next steps beyond confirming bilateral continuation of negotiations with both Mexico and Canada.
Summary
Greer confirmed ongoing USMCA discussions with Mexico, reported greater difficulty with Canada, and reiterated that Gordie Howe Bridge negotiations are separate following a presidential threat to block the bridge's opening.