USTR Greer Meets Sheinbaum and Ebrard — First Formal USMCA Bilateral Negotiating Session

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer met with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard in Mexico City on April 20, 2026, in the first formal USMCA bilateral session ahead of the July 1, 2026 formal joint review. The USTR and Mexican Economy Secretariat issued a joint statement confirming agreement to hold the first formal bilateral USMCA negotiating round during the week of May 25 in Mexico City. Key agenda items included economic security, automotive rules of origin, critical minerals (lithium, copper), and resolving bilateral trade irritants. The meeting occurred in the context of US Section 122 tariffs of 10-15% on Mexican imports (since February 24, 2026) and 50% Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel, aluminum, and copper — with USMCA-qualifying goods exempt from the Section 122 tariffs. Approximately 86% of Mexican exports now claim USMCA exemption, making the review's outcome critical to Mexico's manufacturing sector and the US $900B bilateral trade relationship.