The bridge, largely financed by Canada, is designed to link Michigan with Ontario and is projected to save cross-border travelers about $12.7 million each year.
US President Donald Trump on Monday warned that he could block the opening of the $4.7 billion bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, intensifying a dispute with Canada over a range of trade-related concerns.
Trump pointed to several issues, including Canadian ownership of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, restrictions on certain US alcoholic products in Canadian stores, tariffs imposed on dairy imports, and Canada’s trade discussions with China.
Canada stepped in to finance the project after the United States declined to fund it.
The bridge is scheduled to open in the coming months, with construction costs expected to be recouped through toll revenue over a 30-year period.
“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 said on social media.
“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.”
In 2012, then-Michigan Governor Rick Snyder accepted a proposal from the Canadian government to cover most of the bridge’s construction costs, using executive authority to bypass the state legislature. Construction began in 2018, and the project is now close to completion.
On January 30, the US Department of Homeland Security issued a rule designating the bridge as an official port of entry, noting that it would reduce congestion, shorten travel times, and generate annual savings of $12.7 million for travelers.
The Canadian Embassy in Washington and the bridge authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said, “Canada financed the construction of the bridge, which was built by union construction workers from both sides of the border – and it will be operated under a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada … It’s going to open one way or another.”
