US President Donald Trump's threat not to renew the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement is widely seen by experts as a negotiating tactic that could increase uncertainty for businesses and investors across North America.
Mesbah Fathy Sharaf, an economics professor at the University of Alberta, said Trump's comments should be taken seriously, "but I would not treat them as a final decision to walk away from CUSMA".
"This sounds like a way of putting pressure on Canada and Mexico before the review process. The message is basically that the US does not want renewal to be automatic," he said.
Trump recently suggested that Washington may not renew the trade deal during its scheduled review process, raising fresh questions about the future of North American economic integration.
Sharaf said the remarks appear to be "mostly a negotiating tactic", though they also reflect broader US priorities.
