DETROIT: President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a major new U.S.-Canada crossing between Detroit and Windsor, unless Canada agrees to terms he outlined on social media. Trump said the bridge should not open until the United States is “fully compensated” and said the U.S. should own at least part of the project, describing a 50% stake as a possible benchmark.
In his post, Trump tied the bridge dispute to broader trade complaints with Canada. He cited tariffs on U.S. dairy products and what he described as limited shelf space for some U.S. alcoholic beverages in Canada. He also raised concerns about the use of non-U.S. steel and criticized Canada’s trade contacts with China. The White House has not released details on what steps, if any, it would take in response to the post.
The threat comes as federal agencies finalize the administrative framework for the new crossing. U.S. Customs and Border Protection published a final rule in the Federal Register on Jan. 30 establishing the Gordie Howe bridge crossing as a Class A port of entry for immigration purposes and as part of the port of Detroit for customs purposes. The rule is scheduled to take effect March 2, and the agency said it would notify the public when the crossing is fully operational and open.
The bridge has been under construction since 2018 and is expected to be one of the largest additions to the Detroit-Windsor trade corridor in decades. Canada financed the project after the United States declined to fund construction, and recent public estimates put the cost at about $4.7 billion. The project team has said major construction is complete and that work has shifted to testing and commissioning, a phase that checks and retests systems across the bridge and its border facilities.
Bridge operations and border processing
When it opens, the Gordie Howe International Bridge is designed to carry six lanes of traffic and includes full-width paved shoulders, with dynamic overhead signage intended to respond to real-time traffic volumes and accommodate oversized vehicles. The crossing also includes a toll-free multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists that is 3.6 metres, or 11.8 feet, wide and separated from vehicle lanes by barriers and a paved shoulder.
Project documents say the Canadian and U.S. ports of entry are nearing completion, with interior finish work continuing. The primary inspection lanes are expected to include 24 lanes at the Canadian port of entry and 36 lanes at the U.S. port of entry. The Canadian port of entry includes 16 toll booths, with systems designed to handle U.S. and Canadian currency, prepaid accounts and transponders. The testing and commissioning process includes toll systems, intelligent transportation sensors and cameras, traffic management tools, security systems and border inspection technologies.
The bridge is intended to expand capacity and add redundancy for a corridor that handles a significant share of North American trade. Detroit is a major freight gateway and processes large volumes of cross-border goods each year. The project links Interstate 75 in Michigan to Highway 401 in Ontario through connecting road infrastructure, aiming to improve highway-to-highway access and border processing. Supporters of the crossing have said it is expected to reduce congestion at existing routes and strengthen supply chains for manufacturing and agriculture.
Political and local reaction
Michigan officials from both parties have pushed back on Trump’s comments, emphasizing the project’s economic importance to the state and the region. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office said the bridge will open, describing it as a critical infrastructure link for trade and travel. Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Rep. Debbie Dingell also criticized the threat, warning it could disrupt commerce in a state where factories and suppliers depend heavily on predictable cross-border transportation.
Canadian and U.S. officials did not immediately provide detailed public responses to Trump’s post, and the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority did not issue a public statement in initial reporting. The project authority has previously highlighted the scale of construction and community programs tied to the crossing, including a workforce that has included about 15,000 workers contributing more than 19 million hours since construction began. The project’s community benefits initiatives include a C$4 million Delray Home Improvement Program that provided upgrades to 106 homes near the U.S. work site. – By Content Syndication Services.