The Gordie Howe Bridge: What to know
Explore the construction and history of the Gordie Howe Bridge, currently underway.
President Donald Trump says he will not allow the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor to open unless Canada makes significant concessions to the U.S.
Trump said in a Feb. 9 post on Truth Social that the U.S. will open negotiations with Canada, which has footed the entire bill for the $5.7-billion bridge construction project, but believes the U.S. should probably take ownership of at least half of it.
In fact, the bridge is jointly owned by Canada and the U.S., with Canada intending to recoup its upfront construction costs over time, through bridge tolls.
The bridge is expected to open early this year, after construction began in 2020, following a 2018 groundbreaking.
“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 U.S. with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote.
“With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.”
Trump said Canada has treated the U.S. very badly for decades and noted that many Canadian provinces are not even stocking U.S. liquor on store shelves since Trump began imposing significant tariffs on many Canadian imports early in his first term. He said the bridge had been built with no U.S. content for products such as steel.
Trump said that now, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is entering into a deal with China under which Canada will allow a certain number of Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market in return for lower Chinese tariffs on certain Canadian exports.
“We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so,” Trump wrote.
Under an agreement pushed by former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, Canada agreed to pay the full upfront cost of the bridge and recover costs later.
The Free Press reached out to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or [email protected].
