Ford CEO Pushes for USMCA Overhaul That Would Penalize Import-Heavy Rivals

Ford CEO Jim Farley is calling for changes to the trade agreement set to replace USMCA, arguing that the revised framework should make life harder for automakers that rely heavily on importing vehicles into the United States. In Farley’s view, rivals bringing in large volumes of cars from outside North America gain an unfair edge under current rules, and he wants any successor deal to close that gap.

His position reflects Ford’s deeper manufacturing footprint in the US and North America relative to some competitors, meaning import-heavy automakers benefit from arrangements that Ford sees as skewed against domestic production. The push comes as negotiations over a USMCA replacement take shape, giving the Blue Oval’s chief an opening to lobby for terms more favorable to companies that build where they sell.

Farley’s comments add a trade-policy dimension to Ford’s broader strategy of balancing EV investment with its traditional truck and SUV business. How much of his wish list survives into an actual agreement remains to be seen, but the CEO has made clear he intends to be a loud voice in the debate.