Moment 9 – Forgetting He Signed the USMCA Deal
In a February 2025 White House press conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump ranted about “bad deals” with Mexico and Canada, asking, “Who would ever sign a thing like this?” He criticized how neighbors “took advantage” of the U.S. Irony struck when fact-checkers noted: Trump himself signed the USMCA in 2018, replacing NAFTA as his touted “great” trade achievement.
The amnesia moment drew widespread mockery, with headlines calling it a self-own. Supporters downplayed it as rhetorical flair amid new tariff threats, but critics used it to question his grasp on his own record. It highlighted selective memory in trade boasts, eroding credibility during escalating North American trade tensions. The gaffe lingered as a classic example of Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks backfiring spectacularly.
