President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to prevent the opening of the U.S. side of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, injecting fresh uncertainty into one of North America’s busiest freight corridors.
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump said he would not allow the bridge — which links Detroit with Windsor, Ontario — to open unless Canada agrees to new trade negotiations and what he described as compensation for alleged unfair trade practices.
”We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he wrote.
Trump accused Canada of taking advantage of the U.S. on tariffs, excluding American products, and strengthening economic ties with China, claims that Canadian officials and state leaders dispute.
“Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!’ What does the United States of America get — Absolutely NOTHING!” he said. “Ontario won’t even put U.S. spirits, beverages, and other alcoholic products, on their shelves, they are absolutely prohibited from doing so and now, on top of everything else, Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China — which will eat Canada alive. We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so.”
It remains unclear what authority the White House has to block the bridge’s opening. According to a 2012 agreement, the Canadian government and the state of Michigan are fully funding the estimated $4.7 billion construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, with operations handled by the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.
The Detroit–Windsor corridor is the most critical truck freight crossing between the U.S. and Canada.
Based on historical U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics data, total commercial truck traffic across the Detroit–Windsor border crossing is estimated at roughly 2.7 million to 2.9 million two-way crossings in 2025, or about 225,000 to 245,000 trucks per month.
The Gordie Howe bridge is intended to directly connect Interstate 75 in Michigan with Highway 401, creating a more efficient, truck-friendly route that bypasses local traffic and neighborhood bottlenecks. It is also expected to handle more hazardous-materials shipments, further easing pressure on existing crossings.
Trump’s comments come amid rising tensions ahead of a scheduled review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, heightening concerns in the freight industry that cross-border infrastructure could become leverage in broader trade negotiations.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he spoke to Trump early Tuesday morning about the Gordie Howe International Bridge, adding that there was “virtually no U.S. content” used during construction, according to the CBC.
“This is a great example of co-operation between our countries. I look forward to its opening. What is particularly important, of course, is the commerce and the tourism and the voyages of Canadians and Americans that will go across that bridge,” Carney told reporters on Tuesday morning.
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