Trump Threatens to Halt Opening of Key US–Canada Gordie Howe Bridge

President Donald Trump has warned that he may halt the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major infrastructure project linking the United States and Canada, unless Washington is “fully compensated” for what he described as unfair treatment by Ottawa.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the bridge, which connects Ontario to Michigan across the Detroit River, would not open unless Canada showed the United States “fairness and respect.” He accused Canada of taking advantage of the US and said negotiations would begin immediately, though he did not specify the terms or structure of such talks.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to open to traffic in early 2026, subject to final testing and regulatory approvals. Construction began in 2018 after more than a decade of political disagreements and legal battles. The project is estimated to have cost about 6.4 billion Canadian dollars, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The bridge was funded by the Canadian government and is to be publicly owned by Canada and the state of Michigan. It was developed by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a corporation wholly owned by the Canadian government. Trump disputed this arrangement, arguing that Canada effectively owns both sides of the crossing and insisting the United States should control “at least one half of this asset.”

It remains unclear how Trump could legally prevent the bridge from opening. Requests for comment from the bridge authority, the office of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and the mayor’s office in Detroit were not immediately returned.

Trump also linked his opposition to wider trade tensions, criticising Canadian tariffs on US dairy products and attacking a recent Canada–China trade agreement. In remarks that drew attention online, he claimed the deal would damage Canada’s economy and even suggested it would lead to the elimination of ice hockey in the country and the end of the Stanley Cup.

The Gordie Howe bridge has long been contentious, particularly among the owners of the nearby Ambassador Bridge, a privately owned crossing between Detroit and Windsor. During Trump’s first term, the Moroun family, which owns the Ambassador Bridge, urged him to stop construction of the new project, arguing it threatened their toll revenues.

Despite the controversy, Trump and then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had previously described the Gordie Howe bridge as a “vital economic link” between the two countries in a joint statement issued during Trump’s first term.