Trump's Point for Not Renewing CUSMA is--you guessed it--Himself.

Originally posted on Quora, July 1 2026

QUORA QUESTION

What are the main sticking points in the Trump administration’s trade negotiations with Canada and Mexico?

My opinion?

Donald Trump is a narcissist, among other things. He craves attention from Mark Carney and he’s running up against a stone wall every time he tries to get that attention. No matter what he does, Carney brushes it off and never gets angry, never an emotional response. Donald NEEDS an emotional response like he needs oxygen. He’s running on desperate by now. He cut off trade talks nearly nine months ago. Carney has not yet gotten angry over it.

But now Carney has given Donald Trump an opening. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, wants to renew CUSMA for sixteen years, the full term possible. Donald knows for a fact that Mark really wants this. Remember how desperately, how urgently, how like the very oxygen he breathes, Donald needs an emotional explosion from Mark Carney. Well, this is absolutely certain to get it.

Both Carney of Canada and Sheinbaum of Mexico said they want to renew CUSMA for sixteen years. Trump says nothing-doing, he’s not renewing. Just wait for the bombs to explode. He can’t wait. He can hardly breathe.

But Canada and Mexico have already made their peace. Carney and Sheinbaum and their trade representatives have had extensive meetings and they have come up with trade deals that make CUSMA expendable.

One major trade irritant the US has been whining about for ages is that their dairy is sold in Canada in a TRQ (tariff rate quota). A TRQ is when the agreement says they can sell a certain amount of dairy in Canada duty-free or for low tariff, but if they go over that there will be massive tariffs charged. In the case of US dairy, the rate is something like 275%.

Another major trade irritant the US has been whining about is Canada’s TRQ on Chinese electric vehicles. They whine that this is going to flood the North American market.

So there you have it. Trump cries FOUL when the TRQ is on him, and he cries FOUL when the TRQ is on his enemy. The point of all this: Call Foul Ball on Canada.

In case you didn’t know, Donald Trump is hypocrisy itself, happy only when he can hurt someone. That’s the main sticking point so far as I can see.