‘I will not allow this bridge to open’: Trump threatens to block US-Canada bridge until America gets ‘fully compensated’ for everything it’s given

President Donald Trump is threatening to stop the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge unless the US gets “fully compensated” for everything it has given to Canada. This is a major move, especially since the bridge is almost done and serves as an important economic link between the two countries.

According to the BBC, the president said on social media that the bridge, which connects Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario, won’t open until Ottawa “treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve.” He made his demand clear, writing, “I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge crosses the Detroit River and connects Ontario, Canada, to Michigan in the US. Construction started in 2018, and the bridge is expected to open to traffic in early 2026 after final tests and approvals are done.

Trump demands ownership despite Canada funding the entire project

The project cost about $6.4 billion CAD. The Canadian government is paying for the entire project. Even though Canada is paying for everything, the bridge will be publicly owned by both Canada and Michigan. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, which is building the bridge, is completely owned by the Canadian government.

President Trump says that even though Canada is funding the construction, the US should own “at least one half of this asset.” He also claimed that Canada currently owns both the Canadian and US sides of the bridge, saying, “The Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!’” This demand comes as Trump-era policy changes reportedly cost Americans billions in other areas.

It’s not clear how the president could actually block the opening of a project like this that involves both countries, but he said that negotiations would start right away. This situation is unusual, especially when you look at the project’s history.

For more than ten years, this bridge has been controversial. During Trump’s first term, the Moroun family, who own the nearby Ambassador Bridge, asked him to stop the new bridge from being built. They were worried the new bridge would hurt their ability to collect tolls. But at that time, Trump and then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a joint statement supporting the project, calling it a “vital economic link.” The president’s position has clearly changed since then.

The bridge threat is also connected to larger trade issues. President Trump pointed to Canadian dairy tariffs, saying they “have, for many years, been unacceptable.” He also criticized a recent trade deal between Canada and China, saying that agreement would “eat Canada alive.” 

In a surprising claim, the president said that because of the deal, “The first thing China will do is terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.” That prediction has nothing to do with trade or infrastructure, but it certainly gets attention. 

The controversial statement has drawn attention from observers, including what White House staffers reportedly said about other recent presidential posts. So far, there’s been no official response from anyone involved. Canada’s bridge authority, the Ontario premier’s office, and the Detroit mayor’s office have not commented on the president’s threat.