The U.S. president Donald J. Trump on February 8 and February 9, 2026 threatened to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major new trade crossing linking Detroit, Michigan in the United States with Windsor, Ontario in Canada, unless Ottawa agrees to renegotiate the project and grant the United States at least partial ownership of the bridge. The remarks, made through public statements and social media posts, have injected fresh tension into U.S.–Canada relations and raised concerns about economic and diplomatic fallout along one of North America’s busiest trade corridors.
Trump said the bridge should not be allowed to open unless the United States is “fully compensated” and suggested Washington should own “at least one half” of the asset. He linked the dispute to broader trade grievances with Canada, including long-standing disagreements over dairy tariffs, market access for U.S. agricultural products, and restrictions affecting U.S. alcoholic beverages. He also cited Canada’s recent trade engagements with China as part of what he described as unfair treatment of U.S. interests.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge spans the Detroit River and is intended to connect Interstate 75 in Detroit with Highway 401 in Windsor. Construction began in 2018 under a 2012 bilateral agreement between the Canadian government and the state of Michigan. The project, estimated to cost between $4.6 billion and $5.7 billion, has been financed almost entirely by the Canadian federal government, with plans to recover costs through toll revenues once the bridge becomes operational. The crossing is scheduled to open in 2026 after final testing and regulatory approvals.
The bridge is designed to ease congestion at existing crossings, including the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel, and to strengthen supply chains linking U.S. manufacturing centers in Michigan and the Midwest with Canadian industries. It is regarded by regional business groups as critical to the automotive sector, where parts and finished vehicles often cross the border multiple times during production.
Trump’s comments drew swift criticism in Michigan. Governor Gretchen Whitmer warned that blocking or delaying the opening would harm the state’s economy, disrupt cross-border supply chains, and threaten jobs tied to trade with Canada. Democratic lawmakers representing districts near Detroit, including Elissa Slotkin and Debbie Dingell, also said the bridge had broad bipartisan support and should not be used as leverage in unrelated trade disputes.
In Canada, reactions from officials and commentators in Ottawa and Windsor described the threat as destabilising and damaging to long-standing bilateral cooperation. Analysts noted that Canada’s decision to finance the project was intended to benefit both countries and that reopening ownership negotiations at this stage could undermine trust in cross-border infrastructure agreements.
