Honda says it may not build new plant in North America without trade deal extension

A drone view shows Honda vehicles parked at the company's automotive assembly plant in Alliston, Ontario, Canada, April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio 25 Aug 2026 11:03PM (Updated: 25 Aug 2026 11:04PM) WASHINGTON, Aug 25 : A senior Honda executive said the Japanese automaker might not build an eighth assembly plant in North America unless a key trade deal is extended.Honda Executive Vice President Noriya Kaihara told reporters at a roundtable in Washington the automaker is close to full production capacity in North America and needs a new factory. The Trump administration is currently negotiating with Canada and Mexico over the fate of the free trade deal known as USMCA. "If there is no USMCA agreement in the future, we may have to change our direction," Kaihara said, adding the company wi