Trump Administration Refuses to Open New Canada-U.S. Bridge Connecting Detroit to Ontario

President Trump refuses to open the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, which cost Canada nearly $4.5 billion to construct. Trump declared in February 2026 he would block the opening until Canada paid compensation. The standoff costs $7 million weekly and coincides with USMCA review beginning July 1, 2026. The Moroun family, which owns the competing Ambassador Bridge, contributed $1 million to Trump-aligned MAGA Inc. in February 2026.

Gordie Howe Bridge construction

• ▪The Gordie Howe International Bridge cost Canada nearly $4.5 billion to construct
• ▪The Gordie Howe International Bridge stretches 1.5 miles across the Detroit River
• ▪Construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario began in 2018

Ambassador Bridge competition

• ▪The Ambassador Bridge conveys about 25 percent of the annual land trade between the United States and Canada
• ▪Manuel Moroun was jailed in 2012 at age 84 for refusing a court order to complete a link to the Ambassador Bridge for local freeways
• ▪The Moroun family has owned the Ambassador Bridge since 1979
• ▪MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned PAC, received a $1 million contribution from the Moroun family in February 2026
• ▪The Ambassador Bridge conveys about $300 million in commercial goods daily

USMCA trade negotiations

• ▪Total trade between Canada and the United States reached nearly $910 billion in 2024
• ▪The Trump administration levied tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and 54 other countries for violations involving goods made with forced labor under Section 301 investigations
• ▪During bilateral negotiations with Mexico, the United States proposed a substantial modification of automotive rules of origin requiring 82 percent North American content with 50 percent of that value produced in the United States
• ▪The United States, Canada, and Mexico will begin a joint review of the USMCA treaty beginning on July 1, 2026

Trump administration leverage tactics

• ▪The White House and MAGA Inc. denied any quid pro quo regarding the Moroun family's $1 million contribution
• ▪President Trump declared in February 2026 that he intended to block the Gordie Howe International Bridge's opening until the Canadians paid the United States compensation for everything the United States has given them

Carney's diplomatic strategy

• ▪Approval rankings for the Canadian federal government, Mark Carney's Liberal Party, and Mark Carney's personal leadership are high as of June 2026

Bridge opening obstacles

• ▪The Gordie Howe International Bridge requires a State Department permit and a directive from the Transportation Department to take down the barriers from Interstate 75
• ▪Evan Solomon, the Canadian minister who heads up the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, stated in a May 2026 interview that the bridge is one factor in USMCA negotiations
• ▪Every week that the Gordie Howe International Bridge is not open costs the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority $7 million

Perspective of Canadian government (Prime Minister Mark Carney and officials)

• ▪Canadian minister Evan Solomon stated in May 2026 that the Gordie Howe International Bridge is one factor in USMCA negotiations

Perspective of Moroun family (Ambassador Bridge owners)

• ▪The Ambassador Bridge owned by the Moroun family since 1979 conveys about $300 million in commercial goods daily between Detroit and Windsor