Trump Threatens to Block Opening of US-Canada Gordie Howe Bridge

In a lengthy post on his social media platform, Truth Social, on Monday, Trump asserted that the bridge—connecting Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario—will not open until Ottawa treats the U.S. with "fairness and respect." Although Canada has funded the nearly $6.4 billion CAD project, Trump demanded that the U.S. must own "at least one-half of this asset." He criticized the current arrangement, claiming Canada’s control over both sides of the bridge allows it to "take advantage of America."

The President linked his threat to ongoing trade friction, specifically citing Canada’s dairy tariffs and a recent trade engagement between Canada and China. Trump warned that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s outreach to Beijing would "eat Canada alive" and claimed, in a characteristic rhetorical flourish, that such a pivot could lead to China terminating ice hockey in Canada and "permanently eliminating the Stanley Cup."

Construction on the six-lane bridge began in 2018 and was slated for an early 2026 opening to alleviate congestion at the continent’s busiest commercial border crossing. However, Trump’s hardline stance has plunged the project into fresh uncertainty. While Canadian officials have previously noted that the bridge is a binational partnership with the state of Michigan, they have yet to issue a formal response to the President’s latest ultimatum.