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President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to block the opening of a major new international bridge linking Detroit to Canada, demanding that Canada hand over at least half ownership of the project and agree to additional unspecified conditions in his latest escalation over cross-border trade.
In a lengthy social media post, Trump said the United States should not allow the bridge to open unless Canada renegotiates its control.
“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote. “With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.”
Trump complained that the bridge was built with Canadian steel and argued the United States would receive “nothing” from the project, despite it being located on U.S. soil and designed to handle a major share of North American trade traffic.
Bridge set to open in 2026
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, named for the late Canadian hockey star who spent 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, is expected to open in early 2026, according to the project’s website.
The bridge spans the Detroit River, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, and is intended to relieve congestion at the privately owned Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel. Construction has been underway since 2018.
The project was negotiated under former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, and fully financed by the Canadian government. Under existing agreements, the bridge will be jointly operated by Canada and the state of Michigan.
It was not immediately clear how Trump could legally prevent the bridge from opening. The White House did not respond to requests for clarification, and the Canadian Embassy in Washington also declined immediate comment.
Rising U.S.-Canada tensions
Trump’s threat comes amid deteriorating relations between the United States and Canada during his second term. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is up for review this year, and Trump has adopted an increasingly confrontational posture ahead of negotiations, including renewed tariff threats.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has criticized what he has described as U.S. economic coercion and has warned against politicizing cross-border trade.
Michigan leaders push back
Michigan lawmakers from both parties swiftly rejected Trump’s comments, warning that blocking the bridge would harm U.S. jobs and supply chains.
Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., called the Canadian-funded bridge a “huge boon” to Michigan’s economy.
“You’ll be able to move cargo from Montreal to Miami without ever stopping at a street light,” Slotkin told The Associated Press. “To threaten the Gordie Howe Bridge is to completely lose the plot on what’s actually good for our economy.”
Michigan, a key swing state that Trump carried in both 2016 and 2024, has largely avoided the administration’s more aggressive second-term actions, which have focused on Democratic-led states through immigration raids and infrastructure funding freezes.
Trump has also maintained an unusually cordial relationship with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, publicly praising her last year and appearing alongside her during an Oval Office event.
Whitmer’s press secretary, Stacey LaRouche, said the bridge is governed by a joint agreement and will open as planned.
“This is the busiest trade crossing in North America,” LaRouche said. “It’s good for Michigan workers, good for the auto industry, and a clear example of bipartisan and international cooperation.”
“It’s going to open one way or another,” she added.
‘Canada is our ally’
Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., who represents Detroit, called Trump’s threat “crazy” and said undermining relations with Canada would hurt American workers.
“There’s enormous commerce between Michigan and Canada,” Thanedar said. “They’re one of our biggest partners.”
Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., also dismissed Trump’s remarks, saying she expects the bridge to open on schedule.
“That bridge is the largest northern border crossing in the country,” Dingell said. “It’s jobs. It’s union labor on both sides of the border. And it’s about protecting our economy.”
“Canada is our ally,” she said.
