Politico reported on Sept. 8, 2026, that Commerce Secretary howard lutnick is traveling to Mexico City for trade talks with President Claudia Sheinbaum and other senior Mexican officials.
According to Politico, Lutnick is expected to meet with Sheinbaum and Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard to discuss U.S. tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum as the three-party USMCA six-year review continues, and as talks with Canada have stalled.
Reuters reported earlier that Mexico pressed the U.S. on auto and steel tariffs in a meeting with Lutnick, and that Mexican officials have argued the measures are unjustified — a line of negotiation that Mexico says could shape any interim agreement on the USMCA review.
Politico and Reuters say the Mexico meetings come after Canadian negotiators walked away from talks with the United States, and that Ottawa has implemented counter-tariffs after Washington raised duties — a backdrop that U.S. and Mexican negotiators say is central to the region-wide review.
The Commerce Department and White House had no immediate public comment, Politico reported. The article cited four people familiar with the plans who discussed meetings that had not been publicly announced.
Howard lutnick’s trip follows earlier bilateral engagement: Reuters noted Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard met Lutnick on the sidelines of an international ministerial in early September, a meeting Mexico confirmed as covering trade and technological cooperation.
Why it matters: the discussions could affect the scope of tariff relief or interim arrangements inside the USMCA review led by the U.S. Trade Representative, and they come as Mexico seeks protections for sensitive industries and foreign investment screening measures that U.S. officials have pushed for, Politico reported.
Sources
- POLITICO — reported Lutnick is traveling to Mexico to meet President Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard and described the talks’ focus on autos and metals tariffs (Sept. 8, 2026).
- Reuters — reported Mexico pressed the U.S. on auto and steel tariffs in meetings with Lutnick and confirmed an earlier Ebrard-Lutnick meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Innovation Ministerial.
