President Donald Trump has cast doubt on renewing North America’s flagship trade pact just as the United States, Canada and Mexico come together to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlighting the uneasy balance between economic rivalry and political cooperation.
Trump said June 10 he may not renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal as the three countries begin co-hosting the FIFA World Cup across North America.
His remarks come at a moment of high-profile trilateral cooperation, highlighting tensions that could reshape North American trade during active negotiations.
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Businesses, exporters and supply chains across all three countries face renewed uncertainty ahead of USMCA review talks later this month.
Why It Matters
North America’s trade relationship is entering a crucial review phase in 2026, when the three governments must decide whether to extend the USMCA or risk it drifting toward expiration in 2036. Trump’s comments revive longstanding tensions over deficits, tariffs and industrial policy, injecting uncertainty into one of the world’s most deeply integrated economic regions.
What To Know
Trump’s remarks came just hours before kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament jointly hosted by the very countries now facing renewed trade friction.
Matches begin June 11 across venues in the United States, Canada and Mexico, marking a moment of continental unity on the global stage.
Standing in contrast to that cooperation, Trump signaled he is “not looking to renew” the USMCA, the trade pact he signed during his first term to replace NAFTA.
In practice, that refers to a six-year review process in 2026, when the U.S., Canada and Mexico must decide whether to extend the agreement’s life span beyond its current 2036 sunset clause.
Under the agreement’s terms, failure to approve an extension would not end the pact immediately but instead trigger a cycle of annual reviews—opening the door to prolonged renegotiation and uncertainty.
This is because, unlike traditional trade deals, USMCA includes a built-in review mechanism that forces governments to revisit its future every six years.
“I made the deal and the primary reason I made the deal is that NAFTA was the worst trade deal I’ve ever seen. Yeah. And I made it better. But I had the right to terminate,” Trump said on Wednesday.
He framed the decision as part of a broader push to rebalance trade, arguing that the United States runs deficits with both countries and should instead be posting surpluses.
Data cited by Reuters shows the U.S. last year recorded a $46 billion goods deficit with Canada and a far larger $197 billion deficit with Mexico.
The USMCA, which underpins roughly $1.6 trillion in annual trilateral trade, allows tariff-free movement for most goods across North America and supports highly integrated supply chains—from autos and energy to agriculture, U.S. News reports.
Under its rules, all three countries must signal by July 1 whether they want to extend the agreement for another 16-year term.
If they fail to agree, the pact does not immediately end but instead enters a cycle of annual reviews that could last up to a decade before expiration.
“I don’t know that I’m going to redo it because, to be honest with you. We don’t need anything Canada has, we don’t need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have, and they have to treat us better,” the president said on Wednesday.
“With Mexico and Canada, we have trade deficits. We should have surpluses with them. We don’t need their cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything,” he added.
Canada has already urged its partners to renew the deal early, emphasizing the need for long-term stability in cross-border trade.
Meanwhile, officials in both Canada and Mexico have continued to publicly support the framework despite clashing with Washington over tariffs introduced earlier in Trump’s second term.
Cooperation and Conflict Collide
Taken together, the timing is striking. On one hand, North America is presenting a unified front to the world through a historic, continent-spanning sporting event.
On the other, its economic foundation is being openly questioned by one of its key architects.
For businesses and policymakers, that dual reality is becoming familiar.
Trump has increasingly shown a willingness to collaborate with allies on security, culture, or global events while simultaneously pressing them hard on trade—a pattern seen not only in North America but also in his dealings with NATO partners.
Key Trade Artery Comes Into Focus
At the same time, physical infrastructure meant to deepen economic ties is moving forward—albeit not without friction.
A new cross-border span, the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor in Ontario, is nearing its long-awaited opening after years of construction.
The bridge, designed to ease congestion at one of North America’s busiest trade corridors, is expected to play a major role in facilitating the movement of goods and people between the United States and Canada for decades.
Yet even that project has not been immune to political pressure. Earlier this year, Trump threatened to block or renegotiate aspects of the bridge, including calling for greater U.S. ownership, underscoring the same hard-line negotiating posture now shaping trade talks.
And Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged on Wednesday this week that the project might take longer than anticipated to deliver.
“Look, everyone’s working hard to make sure the bridge is open as soon as possible,” Carney said. “There is no big drama. If it takes a little longer it will take a little bit longer, but this will benefit Canadians, Americans, business, tourists, residents for decades and decades to come.”
What Happens Next
Whether there will be a renegotiated USMCA, prolonged uncertainty, or a more fundamental reshaping of regional trade remains unclear.
What is certain is that the next few weeks of talks could define the economic trajectory of North America for years to come.
Negotiators are now set to meet in Washington on June 16 and 17 to discuss key sectors, including agriculture, with another round planned in Mexico City later in July.