US Trade Under Trump: Potentials and Possibilities

The U.S. presidential election brought significant uncertainty to trade relations. Tense relations with China, withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and a big question mark over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) made businesses — especially those dependent on imports and exports — fidgety.

MES Inc. is no exception. Dependent on imports from China and India, and with over 30% of revenues coming from NAFTA countries, MES tracks these policy shifts on behalf of its customers.

What this paper examines

• The changes made in the first months of the new U.S. presidential administration
• The agenda for the succeeding months
• The reactions and change in attitude of U.S. trade partners
• The automotive industry’s response — the sector most affected by the new trade policies
• The fight over the void of power left by the U.S. in global trade relationships

Why it matters to sourcing teams

For sourcing and supply chain professionals, policy uncertainty translates directly into cost uncertainty: tariff exposure, currency movement, and shifting rules of origin all change the math on where parts should be made.

The objective of this analysis is to help manufacturers understand what to expect in the short term — and to build sourcing footprints resilient enough to absorb policy shocks rather than be defined by them.