Automotive manufacturers are monitoring how the new president and Congress will shape international trade. Tariffs and major trade agreements have potential to disrupt the U.S. commercial vehicle market.
Possible tariff scenarios are one of the number one issues for members of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, according to Ana Meuwissen, SVP of government affairs for MEMA. Meuwissen described the new federal government’s key issues and officials for 2025 during MEMA’s Heavy-Duty Aftermarket Dialogue conference.
Of those key issues, Meuwissen outlined how new tariffs and renegotiated trade agreements could shake out for the industry. Trump’s tariff plans could vary wildly based on negotiations and which legislative authority he chooses to use.
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The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, meanwhile, faces a novel review mechanism in 2026. The review and its ramp-up negotiations could alter already historic requirements for commercial vehicles under the deal.
“This is the most stringent automotive and commercial vehicle agreement that we have on the books in the United States,” Meuwissen said. “We basically had a complete rewrite of our chapter of the agreement, with brand new rules and requirements being put in that impact the sector every day.”
