Trump threatens to block opening of Detroit-Canada bridge

The $4.6bn Gordie Howe International Bridge is expected to open in early 2026.Published On 10 Feb 2026US President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge linking Canada and the US across the Detroit River, demanding that Canada hand over at least half of the bridge’s ownership and meet other unspecified conditions.“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them and, importantly, until Canada treats the United States with the fairness and respect we deserve,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Monday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Five employees of Canadian mine found dead in Mexico, authorities saylist 2 of 4Trump opposes Israel’s West Bank annexation, official says, as outcry growslist 3 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,447list 4 of 4US kills two people in attack on boat in eastern Pacific, one survivorend of list“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he said.Trump included an image of the new $4.6bn Gordie Howe International Bridge project, which connects Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario.The bridge is expected to open in early 2026. On January 30, the US Department of Homeland Security published a rule designating the bridge as an official port of entry. The project was negotiated by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, and financed by the Canadian government.The bridge is designed to ease heavy truck traffic currently handled by the Ambassador Bridge.According to a University of Windsor study, the Gordie Howe Bridge could cut up to 20 minutes off crossing times, saving truckers an estimated $2.3bn over 30 years.Construction has been under way since 2018.Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, warned that cancelling the project would have major economic consequences.