Trump threatens to block US-Canada's Gordie Howe Bridge opening, seeks half ownership and compensation

Just weeks before the long-delayed Gordie Howe Bridge is set to open, US President Donald Trump has thrown the project into fresh uncertainty, demanding negotiations with Canada and threatening to block its launch unless Washington receives compensation and ownership.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said he would begin talks immediately over the multibillion-dollar border project linking Michigan and Ontario. He accused Canada of treating the United States “very unfairly” for decades and declared he would not allow the bridge to open unless Washington was fully compensated.

“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY,” he wrote.

Why the Gordie Howe Bridge matters

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is a six-lane crossing over the Detroit River designed to directly connect Interstate 75 in Michigan with Ontario’s Highway 401. It is intended to ease congestion at one of North America’s busiest trade corridors and strengthen economic ties between the two neighbours.

The project dates back to 2012, when Michigan’s then-governor Rick Snyder accepted Canada’s offer to cover most of the construction cost. In a rare move, Snyder used executive authority to bypass the state legislature. Construction finally began in 2018, and the bridge is now close to completion.

Developed by Canadian authorities, the bridge is expected to deliver measurable economic gains. A University of Windsor study estimates it will reduce border crossing times by 20 minutes, saving truckers $2.3 billion over the next 30 years.

Trump, however, claimed the project contains “virtually no US content” and criticised what he described as minimal American involvement. He also attacked former president Barack Obama, referring to him as “Barack Hussein Obama” and alleging that his administration granted Canada a waiver from the Buy American Act.

Given the size of the US market, Trump argued that Washington should own “perhaps, at least one half of this asset.”

Broader trade tensions resurface

The bridge dispute quickly expanded into wider trade grievances. Trump revisited longstanding complaints over Canada’s dairy tariffs, saying they have “for many years been unacceptable” and have put US farmers “at great financial risk.”

He also turned his attention to Ottawa’s engagement with Beijing, warning against closer economic ties between Canada and China.

“Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China, which will eat Canada alive,” Trump wrote. “We’ll just get the leftovers.”

In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticised Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney over trade and geopolitical positioning. He has threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods if Canada pursues a full trade agreement with China.

Carney has rejected those claims, maintaining that Canada has no intention of signing a free trade agreement with China and that any recent arrangements with Beijing are limited in scope.