Fox’s Baier labels USMCA ‘single biggest bipartisan legislative victory’ for Trump, administration

Fox News anchor Bret Baier called the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) “the single biggest bipartisan legislative victory for this president and this administration” during network coverage of the trade deal’s signing at the White House on Wednesday.

“Listen, it’s hard to overstate the importance of USMCA,” Baier said. “It is a huge deal.”

“It is something he promised, and rightly, he says, that everybody at the beginning said, ‘That’s crazy, That is never going to happen,’ ” he continued. “Both left and right said that.”

“They powered through,” the “Special Report” anchor added. “[U.S. Trade Representative Robert] Lighthizer leading the way, along with Steve Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, and others. The president got this across the finish line. This a big, big win.”

The signing ceremony took place on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday morning.

“Today, we are finally ending the NAFTA nightmare and signing into law the brand new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” Trump declared on Wednesday, referring to the North American Free Trade Agreement, which the new deal replaces.

“The USMCA is the largest, fairest, most balanced and modern trade agreement ever achieved. There’s never been anything like it,” the president added.

Democrats, who also delivered considerable support for the deal, which includes notable changes on labor enforcement and environmental provisions, voiced their frustration at not being invited to the ceremony. 

“Perhaps we were not invited to today’s event on the South Lawn because our presence would be a prominent reminder of our critical leadership in achieving this deal,” said Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Trump had promised to replace NAFTA, which he characterized as horrible deal, during his 2016 campaign.

The new trade agreement is pending ratification in Canada and has already been approved in Mexico.

—Updated at 2:50 p.m.