US federal agency that develops and negotiates US trade policy and agreements with foreign governments, led by the US Trade Representative.
Scott Bessent named the proposal on Sunday, four days before Trump meets Xi at the White House. On the record, its one stated boundary is AI incidents that could affect national security.
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The New York meeting on September 20 produced no deliverables, and the US trade representative says he would extend the 20% tariff cap by three to six months. The next deadline would land in spring 2027.
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Trade documents reviewed by Semafor show Pretoria selling platinum-group metals to both superpowers at the same time, and so far the pitch has returned a 30% American duty and a Chinese zero that every African exporter shares.
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The $20 billion hike and Canada's Tuesday retaliation arrive before the midterms; the 50 percent auto and steel tariff Trump promised is dated 2027, with no negotiated off-ramp in sight.
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Canada has parked negotiations until at least the midterms. At 50% on $20bn to $28bn of exports, the duty accrues near a quarter of a billion dollars a week regardless.
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Washington's 50% duty on about $20 billion of Canadian goods is already live, and Ottawa's dollar-for-dollar answer starts Sept. 8. Neither side has scheduled a talk.
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Canada will answer 50% US tariffs on $20 billion of goods dollar for dollar from September 8. The two capitals cannot agree on who broke the talks, which removes the easy way back.
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Greer's account leaves neither capital a price at which to re-enter. No talks are scheduled, and duties on more than $20bn of goods carry a roughly $10bn bill.
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Talks collapsed on August 21 and the duties landed within hours, with Ottawa promising to match them dollar for dollar. Anyone carrying cross-border cost of goods is repricing without a settlement to hedge against.
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Talks broke Friday and the levy landed Saturday, with Ottawa pledging to match. The covered slice is about 5% of Canada's exports south, but the rate is five times the old headline.
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Greer says Canada declined to finish a bilateral deal. The USMCA survives on rolling annual reviews to 2036, which turns tariff terms into a yearly variable for cross-border supply chains.
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Trump paused the 50% tariff on Canadian goods for three days and said the paperwork is all that is left. The unresolved items are autos, dairy and alcohol, and one of them is not Ottawa's to give.
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