Why has the Gordie Howe International Bridge got Trump so angry?
Joey Cappelletti And Seung Min Kim
President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge over the Detroit River, demanding Canada transfer at least half of its ownership of the bridge and agree to other unspecified demands in his latest salvo on cross-border trade issues.
“We will begin negotiations IMMEDIATELY. For all we’ve given them, maybe we should have at least half of this asset,” Trump said in a lengthy social media post on Monday, complaining that the United States would get nothing from the bridge and that Canada did not use U.S. steel to build it.
According to the information on the project’s website, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, named after a Canadian hockey star who played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons, was expected to open in early 2026.
The project was negotiated by former Michigan governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, and paid for by the Canadian government to help ease congestion on the existing Ambassador Bridge and Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Work has been ongoing since 2018.
It is unclear how Trump will try to prevent the bridge from opening, and the White House did not immediately return a request for comment on further details. The Canadian embassy in Washington also did not immediately return a request for comment.
Trump’s threat comes at a time when relations between the United States and Canada are increasingly deteriorating during the US president’s second term. The United States-Mexico-Canada trade deal is set to be reviewed this year, and Trump is taking a tough stance ahead of those talks, including threatening new tariffs.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has spoken out against US economic pressure on the world stage.
Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich) said the Canadian-funded project is a “huge boon” for her state and its economic future. “You’ll be able to move your cargo from Montreal to Miami without stopping at street lights,” Slotkin told The Associated Press.
“So shooting himself in the foot and threatening the Gordie Howe Bridge means this guy has completely lost the plot of what’s grudge against Canadians and what’s good for us,” Slotkin said.
Michigan, the swing state that Trump ran in both 2016 and 2024, has so far largely avoided the brunt of a second-term crackdown that targets blue states with aggressive immigration raids and cuts to federal funding for major infrastructure projects.
Trump and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also maintained an unusually cordial relationship; The president publicly praised him in the Oval Office last April. The two also embraced last year before Trump announced a new fighter jet mission for the Air National Guard base in Michigan.
Stacey LaRouche, Whitmer’s press secretary, said the bridge will be operated under a shared ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada while Canada pays for the project.
“This is the busiest trade gateway in North America,” LaRouche said, saying the bridge is “good for Michigan workers and Michigan’s auto industry” and is also a good example of bipartisan and international cooperation.
“It will open one way or another, and the governor is looking forward to attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony,” LaRouche said.
Representative Shri Thanedar, the House Democrat from Detroit, said closing the bridge would be “crazy” and that Trump’s attacks on Canada are not good for business or employment. “The bridge will help Michigan’s economy. There is a lot of trade between Michigan and Canada. They are one of our biggest partners,” Thanedar said.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell of Ann Arbor dismissed the president’s threat, saying she looked forward to the bridge opening in late spring.
“I’ll be there too,” Dingell said.
“This bridge is the largest crossing on this country’s northern border. It’s an employment issue. It’s about protecting our economy. It was built with union jobs on both sides,” Dingell said.
“It will be opened. Canada is our ally.”
AP writer Ed White contributed from Detroit.
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