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Donald Trump Threatens to Block Opening of Detroit-Windsor Bridge, Makes Misleading Claims
President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge spanning the Detroit River between the United States and Canada, a major infrastructure project nearing completion after years of development.
In a Monday social media post, Trump declared he would not allow the 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.”
The former president’s intervention comes at a critical moment, with the bridge expected to open early this year after more than a decade of planning and construction. The new crossing aims to ease congestion at one of North America’s busiest trade corridors, where approximately 25% of all US-Canada commerce crosses.
However, Trump’s claims about the project contain several significant inaccuracies. Perhaps most notably, he suggested the U.S. “should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” apparently unaware that Michigan already shares equal ownership of the bridge with Canada under existing agreements.
Rick Snyder, Michigan’s former Republican governor, responded directly to Trump’s ownership claim in a Detroit News op-ed, writing: “We do already! Canada and the state of Michigan are 50/50 owners of the new bridge.”
Trump also claimed the bridge was built “with virtually no U.S. content” and that former President Barack Obama “stupidly gave them a waiver” to bypass Buy American provisions. Multiple Canadian officials and Snyder have disputed this characterization, noting significant American contributions to the project.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens clarified that “thousands of U.S. workers helped construct the bridge, port of entry and Michigan connections on the U.S. side, where lots of U.S. steel was used.” Ontario Premier Doug Ford provided more specific figures, stating that while 75% of materials were Canadian, 25% were American, and “the interchange going on from the Michigan side, it was all American workers, all American steel, all American concrete.”
The financing arrangement for the $4.4 billion project is also notable. After Michigan lawmakers declined to fund construction, Canada assumed the entire cost, with plans to recoup its investment through toll revenue. Only after Canada recovers its investment will toll proceeds be shared between the two jurisdictions.
What makes Trump’s latest stance particularly puzzling is that he previously supported the project. In February 2017, during his first presidency, Trump issued a joint statement with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressing their desire for “expeditious completion of the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” calling it a “vital economic link” between the nations.
Jeff Watson, a former Conservative member of Parliament who represented part of the Windsor area, highlighted this contradiction: “The absurdity is Trump 1.0 takes no issue with the arrangement, wants the construction expedited, while Trump 2.0 now wants to use it as leverage in a trade war he started.”
Some observers have noted similarities between Trump’s criticisms and arguments previously made by the Moroun family, which owns the nearly century-old Ambassador Bridge, a competing crossing. The Moroun family has fought for years to prevent the new bridge from opening, including running advertisements on Fox News programs Trump was known to watch.
The bridge, named after Canadian hockey legend Gordie Howe, represents one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region and is designed to provide a modern alternative to the aging Ambassador Bridge, which has been the only major crossing at this location since 1929.
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8 Comments
While the US and Canada may have disagreements on certain trade issues, interfering with this key bridge infrastructure is not the appropriate way to address them. The bridge project should be allowed to be completed as planned.
It’s concerning to see a former president try to interfere with an important cross-border infrastructure project nearing completion. This bridge is critical for facilitating trade and movement between the US and Canada.
I agree, halting the bridge project would only hurt businesses and consumers on both sides of the border. Cooperation between the US and Canada on these types of projects should be the priority.
While Trump may want to renegotiate trade terms, blocking the completion of this bridge would be a major setback for businesses and commerce on both sides of the border. This strategic crossing is important for the economies of both nations.
Fact-checking Trump’s claims reveals significant inaccuracies and a lack of understanding about the ownership structure and benefits of the Gordie Howe Bridge. This appears to be more political posturing than a substantive policy position.
Trump’s claims about the US not being “fully compensated” and Canada not treating the US with “Fairness and Respect” are quite vague and not supported by facts. This appears to be more political posturing than a substantive policy position.
Trump’s threat to block the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge seems more politically motivated than based on actual policy concerns. This project has been years in the making and should be allowed to move forward for the benefit of the region.
This bridge project has been in development for over a decade, so Trump’s sudden demand to own half of it seems rather misguided and out of touch. Canada and the US have long worked together on critical infrastructure projects like this.