Why is Trump angry about the Gordie Howe International Bridge that Canada paid for?

National Post
The Gordie Howe International Bridge is shown on Thursday, May 23, 2024.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Mich.

What did Trump say?

In a 300-word post on his Truth Social account, Trump said that “Canada has treated the United States very unfairly for decades,” that the bridge was built “with virtually no U.S. content,” and that Canada owns “both the Canada and the United States side.”

He then listed trade grievances, including Ontario’s continued boycott of U.S. alcohol, the possibility of a trade deal between Canada and China that he said would “terminate ALL Ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup,” and Canadian tariffs on dairy products.

He concluded: “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. We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.”

Is Trump correct?

Some of the rhetoric is hard to unpack, but Canada did pay for almost the entirety of the $6.4-billion project, with the exception of some roadway construction on the U.S. side — records show the Michigan Department of Transportation spent US$85.8 million in 2019, for instance.

Additionally, the U.S. government chipped in US$15 million for inspection and screening systems as part of a US$1.4-trillion spending package that Trump signed into law during his first term as president.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor is shown on Wednesday, December 10, 2025.

However, the 2012 Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement stipulates that the crossing will be publicly owned jointly by Canada and Michigan, and that the International Authority will be comprised of equal representation by Canada and Michigan. It also states that all tolls will be collected on the Canadian side of the crossing and used to reimburse the Canadian government for its investment.

And while the agreement stipulated that all the steel had to come from either Canada or the U.S., most of it was sourced from Canadian companies.

On the subject of trade, it’s true that Ontario has no plans to reverse its boycott of U.S. alcohol imports. There is however no evidence that China plans to terminate Canadian hockey under a trade deal. And while dairy tariffs remain a point of contention for Americans, U.S. exports of dairy products seldom exceed the level at which high tariffs would kick in.

What has Trump said about the bridge in the past?

In 2017, Trump and then-prime minister Justin Trudeau released a joint statement that said they “look forward to the expeditious completion” of the bridge.

“The United States and Canada recognize the importance of co-operation to promote economic growth, provide benefits to our consumers and businesses and advance free and fair trade,” the statement added.

Dwight Duncan, a former MPP in the region, tweeted at the time that this was “great news for both economies.” He was less happy with Trump’s latest remarks, however, posting: “No surprise here. Full of factual errors. Carry on with negotiations. I have great confidence in the Canadian team.”

Also in 2017, the Trump administration compiled a list of 50 high-priority infrastructure projects deemed to enhance U.S. national security or be emergency measures to improve public safety. The Gordie Howe bridge was included on that list.

The following year, a TV ad played during Fox & Friends, which Trump watches, exhorting him to cancel the project and allow the Moroun family to instead add another span to its privately-owned Ambassador Bridge. The White House did not respond to those ads.

What did Mark Carney and others say about Trump’s bridge remarks?

On Tuesday morning before a cabinet meeting in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney said he’d spoken to Trump to explain the mutual benefits of the bridge.

“This is a great example of cooperation between our countries. Look forward to it opening,” he said. “And 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.”

Bracing pieces are installed to connect the two sides of the Gordie Howe International Bridge in preparation for the final slab’s placement on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Drew Dilkins, Windsor’s mayor since 2014, called Trump’s post “insane,” and told the CBC: “We know Donald Trump is volatile, we know he’s created an environment of uncertainty. I’m sure we’ll get over the speed hump here on this issue as well. It’s just one of the frustrations we have to deal with, and the faster we can get to the midterms and hopefully see a change, the better for all of us.”

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s press secretary, Stacey LaRouche, called the project “a tremendous example of bipartisan and international cooperation,” adding that “it’s going to open one way or another, and the governor looks forward to attending the ribbon cutting.”

And Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin posted to X: “Trump’s threat tonight to tank it is awful for our state’s economy. Canceling this project will have serious repercussions. Higher costs for Michigan businesses, less secure supply chains, and ultimately, fewer jobs.” She added: “I will do everything in my power to get this critical project back on track.”

When is the bridge scheduled to open?

In January 2024 it was announced that the bridge would open by the fall of 2025. However, last October that date was moved to early 2026 to allow for additional work and testing. No exact date has yet been announced.

Why is it called the Gordie Howe bridge?

Much like the bridge, Gordie Howe was an icon that spanned two countries. Born in Saskatchewan in 1928 — a year before the opening of the Ambassador Bridge — Howe was nicknamed Mr. Hockey and set many records in the game. He spent most of his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings.

In 2015, then-prime minister Stephen Harper and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder jointly announced the name of the planned new crossing. Howe, who died the following year, was said to have remarked “That sounds pretty good to me” when told of the honour.

There’s a second Gordie Howe bridge, much smaller, that crosses the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon.

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