Trump Threatens to Block Opening of Gordie Howe Bridge in Trade Dispute

U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated tensions with Canada by threatening to block the Gordie Howe International Bridge — a major new Canada-funded crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan — from opening unless Ottawa engages in negotiations and offers Washington compensation and a share of ownership.

In a lengthy message on social media, Trump accused Canada of treating the United States “very unfairly” and said he would not allow the nearly completed bridge to begin operations until the U.S. is “fully compensated for everything we have given them” and is treated with “fairness and respect.” He also suggested the United States should own “perhaps at least one half of this asset.”

The Gordie Howe International Bridge, funded and largely built by Canada’s federal government under a 2012 agreement, is designed to ease congestion at one of the busiest commercial crossings in North America and strengthen trade links across the border. Construction began in 2018 and the project is nearing completion, with early 2026 slated for opening.

Trump cited broader trade grievances — including Canadian dairy tariffs and limited availability of some U.S. goods — in justifying his hardline stance. He also referenced Ottawa’s trade engagement with China as a concern, part of an increasingly strained bilateral relationship ahead of this year’s review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The threat drew strong pushback from Michigan officials, including Democrats who stressed the bridge’s economic importance. They highlighted that the crossing would significantly reduce travel and shipping times and was negotiated with joint operational plans for Michigan and Canada. Some lawmakers warned that blocking the bridge could harm jobs and supply chains.

Officials from the Canadian Embassy in Washington and the bridge authority have not publicly responded to the threat, which adds another layer of friction to already tense U.S.-Canada ties under the Trump administration’s trade agenda.