Arrieta: Mexico solidifies its position as United States' top global trading partner

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — U.S.–Mexico trade reached $971 billion in total goods and services in 2025, solidifying Mexico’s position as the United States' top global trading partner, according to fresh data released by Mexico’s Ministry of Economy and the U.S. Census Bureau.

In an interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Judith Arrieta Mungía, Consul General of Mexico in Brownsville, highlighted the $40 billion year-over-year surge from 2024's total of $933.2 billion. She noted that current growth trajectories position bilateral trade to break the historic $1 trillion threshold by the end of 2026.

Key Figures & Highlights

• Total Trade Breakdown: Of the $971 billion total in 2025, goods accounted for $872 billion, while trade in services—including logistics, finance, technology, and knowledge transfer—contributed $100 billion.
• Top U.S. Exports to Mexico: Mexican purchases of high-tech machinery, electrical equipment, mineral fuels, and vehicles rose significantly, shrinking the U.S. trade deficit as Mexico continues to prioritize American imports.
• Job Creation: Citing U.S. government sources, Arrieta noted that trade with Mexico directly supports 7 million jobs in the United States. Additionally, foreign direct investment (FDI) from Mexican companies generated nearly 98,000 U.S. jobs in 2024 alone.
• Cross-Border Agricultural Cooperation: The two nations recently launched a joint plan targeting the New World screwworm, which enabled the safe resume of certified healthy cattle movement from Mexico into Arizona and Texas ports of entry.

Looking ahead to upcoming USMCA review discussions, Arrieta emphasized that deeply integrated supply chains—where 60% to 70% of components in Mexican manufacturing originate from the U.S.—demonstrate how interconnected the North American market has become.

"As long as we thrive, we both thrive," Arrieta said, noting that high-level economic delegations from Mexico will continue cross-border dialogues to support incoming investment and regional competitiveness.