The under-construction Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will connect the province of Ontario with Michigan, will not open until Canada acts "fairly" towards the US. Trump stated in his post on the social network Truth Social: "I will not allow this bridge to open until we receive full compensation for everything we have provided, and until Canada starts treating us with respect."
According to project details, the bridge is funded by the Canadian government and will be jointly owned by Canada and the state of Michigan. However, it is unclear how Trump could stop its opening. He mentioned in his post that "negotiations will begin immediately," but did not specify how this would take place.
The bridge over the Detroit River is expected to be ready for opening in early 2026 after the completion of official testing. Construction began in 2018 and has been a subject of disputes between the two countries for over 10 years, according to sources such as the BBC.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the cost of constructing the bridge was 6.4 billion Canadian dollars (approximately 4.7 billion US dollars).
Trump also added that the United States should own "at least half of this asset." According to information on the project’s website, the construction of the bridge is being led by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, which is wholly owned by Canadian authorities.
“They own both the Canadian and American sides, and of course, they built it with virtually no American materials. Now the Canadian government expects me, as the President of the United States, to just let them ‘take advantage of America’! What do we get in the end — absolutely nothing!” Trump wrote.
The Moroun family, American owners of the neighboring bridge connecting the US and Canada, previously appealed to Trump to stop the construction of the new bridge, claiming it violates their exclusive rights to collect tolls.
In response, Trump and then-Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau issued a joint statement emphasizing that the new bridge is a "vital economic link" for both countries.
On Monday, Trump also reminded about recent trade disputes, stating that "the tariffs Canada imposes on our dairy products have been unacceptable for many years." He added that the trade agreement that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to conclude with China "will completely engulf Canada." Trump expressed the opinion that "China will stop all hockey games in Canada and destroy the Stanley Cup forever."
