President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to block the opening of a major new bridge linking the United States and Canada, escalating tensions with America’s northern neighbor and reigniting a broader trade and sovereignty dispute.
The bridge in question is the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a US$4.7 billion infrastructure project connecting Ontario, Canada, with Michigan, United States. Construction began in 2018, and the bridge is scheduled to open later this year. Named after legendary Canadian-born NHL star Gordie Howe, the project is seen as a critical trade corridor between the two countries.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States should own “at least half” of the bridge and warned he would not allow it to open until Washington is “fully compensated.”
“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,” Trump wrote, adding that negotiations would begin “immediately.”
The 79-year-old Republican president criticized Canada for owning both sides of the bridge and claimed that “virtually” no US-made products were used in its construction.
Trump also took aim at Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing him of moving closer to China after Carney’s visit to Beijing last month, where a preliminary trade deal was announced.
“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,” Trump said.
Following Carney’s China visit, Washington has threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, further heightening economic uncertainty between the two longtime allies.
Trump, who returned to office in January 2025, has repeatedly clashed with Canada on trade issues. Earlier this year, he revived controversial rhetoric suggesting Canada should become the 51st US state, though he has largely stepped back from that claim in recent months.
Meanwhile, Carney warned global leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month that the US-led system of global governance is facing a serious “rupture,” a remark widely seen as a response to Trump’s disruptive approach to international relations. He called on mid-sized powers to work more closely together in a changing world order.
At its core, the dispute over the Gordie Howe Bridge is about more than steel and concrete. It reflects a deeper strain in a relationship built on decades of shared borders, trade, and trust. For workers, families, and businesses on both sides of the border, the bridge symbolizes connection and cooperation. As political tensions rise, many are watching closely, hoping diplomacy will prevail over division and that a project meant to unite two nations does not become another casualty of global power struggles.
