Donald Trump warns he could block new Michigan-Canada bridge opening
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has threatened to block a new bridge connecting the US and Canada, citing the country’s alleged hostility toward the US and its ties with China, according to a post by Trump on Truth Social.
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The Gordie Howe International Bridge, set to open in early 2026, is planned to be the only bridge allowing pedestrian and bicycle traffic between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario.
However, Trump has put the project’s future at risk, angered by the administration of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney amid rising tensions between the two countries.
“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the fairness and respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote Monday evening on Truth Social.
He also added that negotiations over the project will begin immediately, insisting that the US should own, perhaps at least half of this asset.
Construction of the bridge over the Detroit River, named after the late legendary Canadian hockey player Gordie Howe, began in 2018 and has been funded by a Canadian government–controlled entity responsible for operating, maintaining, and rehabilitating the bridge over the next 36 years.
In his post, Trump also referenced Ottawa’s decision to remove American spirits, such as bourbon, from its government-run liquor stores in response to his repeated threats to make Canada the 51st US state.
Trump’s claims against Canada over China
In his angry post, the US leader also referenced a recent agreement between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping to open Canada to imports of Chinese electric vehicles. Trump wrote that the deal would eat Canada alive.
The US administration argued that Canada’s deal with China undermines its bargaining position with Washington, prompting Trump to threaten a 100% tariff on all Canadian imports if Carney follows through.
However, the Canadian leader denied speculation that his country is negotiating a free trade deal with Beijing, acknowledging that such a move would jeopardize trade relations with the US.
