US President Donald Trump has said he may try to stop a new bridge between the United States and Canada from opening unless the US is paid back for what he says it has given to Canada over the years.
The bridge, called the Gordie Howe International Bridge, links Ontario in Canada with Michigan in the US. It crosses the Detroit River and is meant to improve trade and travel between the two countries. The bridge is expected to open in early 2026 after final safety tests and approvals.
Trump shared his comments on social media. He said the bridge should not open until Canada treats the United States with what he called fairness and respect. Despite Canada’s primary funding for the project, he asserted that the US should own at least half of the bridge.
The Canadian government is funding the bridge, according to the official project website. However, it will be publicly owned by both Canada and the state of Michigan. The Canadian government fully owns the group building it, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.
It is not clear how Trump could actually block the bridge from opening. He did not explain what legal steps he would take but said talks would start right away. The bridge has been controversial for many years. Construction began in 2018, but plans were debated for more than a decade before that. The total cost is estimated at 6.4 billion Canadian dollars.
Trump also mentioned trade problems between the two countries. He criticized Canada’s tariffs on US dairy products and called them unfair. He also warned about Canada’s recent trade agreement with China, making an exaggerated joke about ice hockey and the Stanley Cup.
In the past, Trump supported the bridge. During his first term, he and then Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it an important economic link. On Monday, Canadian and US local officials did not comment.
No responses were immediately provided by the bridge authority, Ontario’s premier, or Detroit’s mayor, leaving questions about the next steps, possible negotiations, and whether the comments would affect the planned opening timeline for the project ahead.
