Trump threatens to block US–Canada Gordie Howe bridge, demands compensation from Ottawa

US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to block the opening of the new bridge connecting the US and Canada until the US is “fully compensated for everything" it has given to Canada. Mentioning Canada's prospective trade deal with China, Trump suggested that China will “eat Canada alive”, terminate all the Ice Hockey tournaments, including the Stanley Cup, and the US will get only “leftovers”.

"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, " wrote Trump in a Truth Social Post.

He further frowned on the fact that the $4.7 billion worth Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Ontario and Michigan was built without using US materials. Trump claimed that Canada owned both ends, but the website of the bridge mentions that it is being funded by Canada and is publicly owned by both Canada and Michigan. He took a dig at former US President Barack Obama for allowing Canada to bypass the Buy American Act and take “advantage of America.”

Also Read: US military strike on alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific kills two

“What does the United States of America get — Absolutely NOTHING! Ontario won't even put US 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,” wrote Trump. Trump said that there will be immediate negotiations between the two sides, but it remains unclear how the US can stop the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge

The Gordie Howe International Bridge spans the Detroit River and is the second-largest freight port in the US by value and the largest on the US-Canada border. The bridge is named after the Canadian ice hockey player Gordie Howe and is valued at around $6.4 billion CAD. The construction of the bridge began in 2018, and it is expected to open in early 2026, following the pending formal tests and approvals. The US Homeland Security on January 30 declared the bridge an official port of entry to the country. The bridge was funded by Canada for land acquisition and construction, and it will be paid through the tolls collected on the Canadian side, but no toll will be collected on the US side. Under the 2012 Canada-Michigan Crossing Agreement, the bridge will be publicly owned by the Government of Canada and the State of Michigan and the Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority will maintain and operate the bridge for 30 years.