Trump says he may not renew North America trade pact with Mexico and Canada as July 1 deadline looms
Washington DC - President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is not seeking a straightforward renewal of the US' free trade pact with Mexico and Canada, setting the stage for lengthy negotiations in the coming months.
His comments came as parties to the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) have until July 1 to indicate if they want to extend its terms for another 16 years.
Without a renewal – and unless one party withdraws entirely – the deal will continue to be in effect, subject to rolling annual reviews until 2036.
"I'm not looking to renew it," Trump told reporters Wednesday when asked about the July review date.
"We don't need anything that Canada has, we don't need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have," Trump added of his country's two biggest trading partners in goods.
He said both countries "have to treat us better."
US government data indicates that goods trade with Mexico and Canada combined amounted to around $1.6 trillion in 2025.
The Trump administration has also exempted USMCA-compliant products from many of his tariffs, helping to keep import costs down.
Earlier this month, Canada and Mexico called for a 16-year renewal of the North American trade pact, despite Trump's stance on the situation.
US officials have broadly praised Mexico's approach to trade negotiations while mocking Canada and insulting Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has become one of Trump's most prominent critics on the global stage.
Nonetheless, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said that he envisions preserving parts of the deal, despite the frictions.
Cover photo: KEN CEDENO / AFP