Trump says Americans ‘don’t need’ Canadian products, calls CUSMA ‘irrelevant’

By Canadian Press on January 13, 2026.

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump says the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on trade is “irrelevant” to him and Americans don’t need Canadian products.

While touring a Ford plant in Michigan, Trump said he wants to see more cars built in the United States and the U.S. doesn’t need vehicles made in Canada or Mexico.

Asked if he will renegotiate CUSMA, which is up for review this year, Trump said “we can have it or not.”

Trump said he doesn’t care about the trade deal but “Canada would love it” and needs it.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed Dominic LeBlanc, the minister in charge of Canada-U.S. relations, will meet with U.S. counterparts in mid-January to launch formal CUSMA talks.

Asked about raw materials coming in from countries like Canada, Trump said “we have a lot of our own raw materials.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2026.

– With files from Catherine Morrison

The Canadian Press