President Donald Trump said Monday that the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge across the Detroit River could be blocked, escalating his pressure on Canada as he takes a hard line on cross-border trade. In a lengthy social media post, Trump demanded that Canada negotiate, and he urged that the United States should receive at least half of the bridge’s ownership, complaining that the U.S. would gain nothing from the project.
Trump said the two governments should begin negotiations “IMMEDIATELY” and argued that the United States should “own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset” after the country’s support for the project. He also said Canada did not use U.S. steel to build the bridge, adding to his broader complaints about what the United States gets from cross-border arrangements.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge—named for Canadian hockey star Gordie Howe, who played for the Detroit Red Wings for 25 seasons—had been expected to open in early 2026, according to information on the project’s website. The bridge project was negotiated by former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and paid for by the Canadian government, with work dating back to 2018.
In Monday’s threat, it remained unclear how Trump would pursue blocking the bridge’s opening or what specific steps would be used to carry out the demand. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the proposed approach, and the Canadian Embassy in Washington did not immediately provide comment.
The threat also arrived as relations between the U.S. and Canada have grown more strained during Trump’s second term. The United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement is up for review this year, and Trump has adopted a tougher stance ahead of those talks, including tariff threats.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also spoken on the world stage against economic coercion by the United States, underscoring how both sides have sharpened their messaging as negotiations approach. Trump’s comments about the bridge fit into that broader pattern of leverage and dispute.
Michigan Democrats pushed back against Trump’s threat, portraying the project as a boon for jobs and trade that would help relieve congestion at existing border crossings. Sen. Elissa Slotkin said the Canadian-funded project is a “huge boon” to Michigan and told The Associated Press that it would allow cargo to move from Montreal to Miami without getting stuck at a street light.
Slotkin said “so to shoot yourself in the foot and threaten the Gordie Howe Bridge means that this guy has completely lost the plot on what’s good for us versus just what’s spite against the Canadians.” She described the bridge as beneficial for the state’s economic future rather than as leverage for renewed cross-border fights.
Stacey LaRouche, press secretary to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, said Canada’s funding comes alongside a joint ownership agreement between Michigan and Canada. LaRouche said the bridge would be the “busiest trade crossing in North America” and argued it was good for Michigan workers, the state’s auto industry, and as an example of bipartisan and international cooperation.
Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar, representing Detroit in Congress, said blocking the bridge would be “crazy,” arguing Trump’s attacks on Canada were not good for business or jobs. Thanedar said the bridge would help Michigan’s economy, pointing to the volume of commerce between Michigan and Canada.
Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell said she was looking forward to the bridge’s opening later in the spring and said, “And I’ll be there.” Dingell described the bridge as the biggest crossing in the country on the northern border and said it relates to jobs, protecting the economy, and union work “on both sides,” adding: “It’s going to open. Canada is our ally.”