Trump Signs Order to Identify and Remove Canadian-Origin Goods in Federal Procurement
Published Sept. 16, 2026
Key Points
- President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing U.S. officials to identify Canadian-origin goods that could be removed or made unavailable for purchase through federal civil procurement.
- OMB and USTR will coordinate with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council on the review.
- OMB may notify federal agencies about domestic alternatives to Canadian-origin goods.
- USTR will continue monitoring Canada’s treatment of U.S.-origin goods in Canadian federal and provincial procurement.
- The memorandum doesn’t name specific products or immediately remove Canadian-origin goods from federal procurement.
- Additional federal procurement guidance is pending.
On
September 16, 2026, President Donald Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to identify Canadian-origin goods that could be removed or made unavailable for purchase in the U.S. federal civil procurement system. Trump directed senior officials to determine which Canadian goods could be removed and whether U.S. alternatives are available. The memorandum could affect Canadian goods in a federal procurement market worth more than $280 billion a year. It adds government procurement to recent U.S. trade measures involving Canada, including bans on certain Canadian imports announced in early September.
OMB and USTR Will Identify Affected Canadian Goods
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will identify Canadian-origin items that can, where warranted and permitted by law, be removed or made unavailable for purchase through the federal civil procurement system.
The agencies will coordinate with the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and may consult other federal officials as needed. OMB may also notify federal agencies about domestic alternatives to Canadian-origin items where permitted by law.
Note that the memorandum doesn’t identify specific products or impose immediate restrictions on Canadian-origin goods in federal procurement.
What It Means for U.S.-Canada Trade
According to the White House fact sheet, the action is intended to hold Canada accountable for what the administration describes as continued unreasonable and discriminatory treatment of U.S. goods, which it says has disadvantaged American businesses and workers.
The memorandum could affect Canadian companies that supply goods to the U.S. federal government if specific Canadian-origin products are later removed or made unavailable for purchase. The White House says Canadian companies currently have preferential access to more than $280 billion in U.S. government procurement, while U.S. companies face restrictions in Canadian federal and provincial procurement markets.
USTR Will Monitor Canada’s Government Procurement Policies
USTR will continue monitoring Canada’s treatment of U.S.-origin goods in Canadian federal and provincial government procurement markets.
The memorandum cites Canada’s preferences for Canadian products and Canadian content under its “Buy Canadian” policy, along with limits on access to government procurement markets imposed by Canadian provinces.
USTR will report on developments that could indicate a need for further action. It may also report circumstances that could warrant restoring a Canadian-origin item’s availability for federal civil procurement, such as a change in Canadian policy affecting U.S.-origin goods.
Federal Contractors Should Watch for Product-Specific Guidance
Companies supplying Canadian-origin goods to the U.S. government should monitor:
- Products identified for possible removal or non-availability
- Changes to federal agency purchasing requirements
- Information on domestic alternatives
- New procurement guidance affecting Canadian-origin goods
- USTR updates on Canadian federal and provincial procurement policies
- Changes that could restore the availability of Canadian-origin items
Federal agencies must take appropriate measures within their authority to implement the memorandum, consistent with applicable law and subject to available appropriations.
Further guidance will be needed to determine which products, if any, are affected.
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