President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to block the opening of a new bridge connecting the United States and Canada, adding fresh strain to relations with one of America’s closest allies as economic disputes continue to pile up.
The project at the center of the dispute is the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a 1.5-mile crossing between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. Major construction on the bridge is complete, and it is expected to open later this year after final testing.
But Trump says the opening could be delayed.
In a post on Truth Social, the president said he would “not allow” the bridge to open until the United States is “fully compensated” and Canada shows what he called “fairness and respect.” He added that negotiations would begin “IMMEDIATELY,” without explaining what compensation he is seeking.
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It’s unclear how Trump could stop the Gordie Howe Bridge from opening, and the White House hasn’t said how it would happen. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated the threat Tuesday without giving specifics.
Trump also made claims about the bridge that were quickly challenged. He suggested that Canada owns both sides and built it with little U.S. involvement. Canadian officials immediately rejected that version of events.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he spoke directly with Trump and was confident the dispute could be resolved. “I explained to the president that Canada paid for the bridge, firstly,” Carney told reporters. “Secondly, it’s a property shared between the state of Michigan and the Canadian government, and there were American steel and workers involved in the work for the bridge.”
Those points are backed by the 2012 agreement governing the project. The deal requires that iron and steel come from either the U.S. or Canada, prevents one country from being favored over the other, and lays out joint ownership between Canada and Michigan once the bridge opens.
State officials stress that the bridge is intended to drive economic growth rather than serve political interests, underlining the benefits it will bring to jobs and local industry.
A spokesperson for Governor Gretchen Whitmer said the project “supports jobs and Michigan’s auto industry” and noted it was built by union workers from both sides of the border.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed that view, saying, “I’m very confident this bridge is going to open. I’ll tell you the reason why it’s going to open: because it’s in the best interest of the American economy.”
However, not everyone shares Trump’s view. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens called the president’s claims “insane,” saying he “really can’t believe what I’m reading.”
At the federal level, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer suggested that any negotiations would focus on the economic benefits the bridge generates, adding that the U.S. wants to ensure it receives its “fair share” of those benefits.
Featured image via Truth Social screengrab
