OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump is again saying the American economy does not need anything from Canada or Mexico and he is “not looking to renew” the continental trade pact.
Trump made the comments in the Oval Office Wednesday when asked about the July 1 deadline to renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement on trade, known in Canada as CUSMA.
If the deadline passes, the agreement stays in place subject to an annual rolling review for up to 10 years.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc travelled to Washington last week to meet with his American counterpart and sent a letter to the American and Mexican administrations calling for a 16-year extension of the agreement. Mexico’s secretary of economy, Marcelo Ebrard, also called for the extension.
Trump complained Wednesday about the trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada — which is caused by Canadian energy exports — and claimed the U.S. doesn’t need Canadian or Mexican cars, lumber or energy.
He repeated his claim that the previous NAFTA deal was “the worst trade deal ever made” and said the U.S. does better economically when it is autonomous, adding that both Canada and Mexico need the U.S.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said last week Washington has “technical issues” with Mexico and 30 trade issues with Canada of “varying technicality.”
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe reacted to Trump’s comments by saying Canadian leaders are squarely focused on getting a good deal.
“There is going to be a lot of rhetoric that will occur as we go through this review process,” he told reporters in Calgary after a speech at the Global Energy Show.
“We won’t be responding to daily comments that come out of the White House or even at times (that) come out of various levels of Canadian leadership as well.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.
— With files from Lauren Krugel in Calgary.
Dylan Robertson and Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
