On December 8, 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the legislation implementing the North American Free Trade Agreement, which had been negotiated under President George H. W. Bush. The agreement created a free-trade zone among the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Supporters argued that NAFTA would increase economic growth, lower prices, and strengthen regional ties. Critics warned about job losses in manufacturing and pressure on labor and environmental standards. Over time, the agreement reshaped trade patterns in automobiles, agriculture, and other sectors. NAFTA later became the basis for its successor agreement, the USMCA, approved in the late 2010s.
