Trump Raises Prospect of Ending USMCA, Says U.S. Needs 'Nothing' From Canada or Mexico

President Donald Trump cast doubt on the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), saying the United States does not need goods from either of its North American trading partners as the trade pact approaches a scheduled review.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump said Canada and Mexico depend far more on the United States than the reverse. "We don't need anything that Canada has. We don't need anything that Mexico has," Trump said. "But they need everything we have. And they have to treat us better."

Although Trump questioned whether the agreement should continue, he also defended the USMCA as an improvement over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which he again described as "the worst trade deal in history." He said one of the features he appreciated most about the agreement was that it allows for periodic review and the possibility of termination.

The remarks come ahead of a formal review process set to begin July 1. Under the agreement signed during Trump's first term in 2020, the three countries must decide whether to extend the pact for another 16 years or move toward more frequent reviews and potential expiration.

Mexico and Canada have both formally requested a 16-year extension and Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard recently sent letters to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer expressing support for renewing the agreement, arguing that it benefits all three economies.

The review process, however, has unfolded unevenly. Mexico and the United States have already begun bilateral discussions and are expected to hold additional rounds of talks in June and July. Canadian officials, meanwhile, have said they are still waiting for formal negotiations to begin, despite recent meetings between LeBlanc and Greer in Washington.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has sought to reassure businesses that negotiations remain on track, while acknowledging that trade disputes with Washington continue to affect sectors such as steel, aluminum, automobiles and lumber, as El Pais points out. Carney has argued that North American economic integration remains strategically important for the United States and its neighbors.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on her part has also defended the agreement, emphasizing Mexico's role in the regional economy and arguing that North American competitiveness depends on continued cooperation among the three countries.