They say memory fades with age, but this was something else entirely.
During a White House press briefing on Monday, Donald Trump slammed a trade deal—without realizing he was the one who signed it into law. The deal? The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA. In 2020, he called it “the best agreement we’ve ever made.” Now, he suddenly doesn’t seem to like it. His unexpected criticism left people confused. Did he really forget, or is he just changing his tune?
In his speech, Trump complained that the U.S. was being taken advantage of in trade agreements with its neighbors. He was particularly upset about the effects of the USMCA. “I mean, who can blame them if they made these great deals with the United States, took advantage of the United States on manufacturing?” Trump said.
Trump responding to a question on Mexico and Canada: I look at some of these agreements and I say who would ever sign a thing like this. The tariffs will go forward, yes. We’ll make up a lot of territory. Our country will be liquid and rich again. pic.twitter.com/cPwkCVlLDF
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 24, 2025
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Then, in a moment of unintentional self-criticism, he added, “I look at some of these agreements, I’d read them at night, and I’d say, ‘Who would ever sign a thing like this?’.”
Well, Mr. President… that would be you.
In 2020, Trump celebrated USMCA as a considerable victory, calling it “the best trade deal we’ve ever made.” He argued that it was a much-needed improvement over NAFTA, which he famously described as “the worst trade deal ever made.”
Trump spent much of his first term blaming NAFTA for job losses in American manufacturing. During his 2016 campaign, he even attacked Hillary Clinton, saying she was responsible for her husband’s policies on free trade. But now, four years after putting his own replacement deal into action, he’s not happy with it either.
In response to his frustration with USMCA, Trump announced a new plan: a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods starting next week. He insisted that the tariffs would not hurt American consumers. “It’ll be very good for our country,” he said. “Our country will be extremely liquid and rich again.”
However, economists strongly disagree. Trade experts warn that these tariffs could have serious consequences for everyday Americans. Higher tariffs mean higher prices for imported goods, which could make everything from cars to groceries more expensive.
Jared Bernstein, an economic adviser to former President Joe Biden, was skeptical about Trump’s original claims that USMCA would be a game-changer. “It’s an improvement at the margins but far from perfect and not nearly as different as Trump claims,” he said back in 2020. “In fact, there will almost surely be no notable difference in trade flows.”
It seems like Bernstein might have had a point.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
