Carney seeks truce after Trump threatens to block US-Canada bridge
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is trying to defuse a new dispute with President Donald Trump over the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the long-awaited span connecting Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit.
Carney said Tuesday he spoke with Trump and described the conversation as constructive.
“I explained that Canada, of course, paid for construction of the bridge,“ Carney said, noting that U.S. steel and labor were used in the project and that the state of Michigan holds an ownership stake.
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The Detroit-Windsor corridor is the busiest trade crossing between the U.S. and Canada, moving roughly $300 million in goods each day.
The nearly $5 billion bridge is expected to open later this year. It will be jointly operated by Canada and Michigan, though Canada financed construction. The White House has objected to Canada owning land on both sides of the border and maintaining operational control of the crossing.
Carney said that future discussions about the bridge would be folded into broader trade negotiations between the two countries. “This is going to be resolved,“ he said.
Trump’s threat
The dispute began after Trump posted a lengthy message on Truth Social criticizing the bridge agreement.
“Canada is building a massive bridge between Ontario and Michigan,” Trump wrote. He argued the project used “virtually no U.S. content” and said a waiver granted during the Obama administration allowed Canada to bypass Buy American provisions.
“What does the United States of America get – Absolutely NOTHING!” Trump wrote.
He warned he would not permit the bridge to open unless the U.S. is “fully compensated” and suggested the U.S. should own “at least one half” of the asset.
A long-brewing rivalry
Construction on the Gordie Howe International Bridge began in 2018 under the oversight of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. The new crossing is designed to ease congestion at two existing links: the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.
The Ambassador Bridge is privately owned by businessman Matthew Moroun’s family, which has long opposed the new bridge, arguing it would cut into toll revenue. The family has pursued legal challenges in an effort to slow or block the project.
The New York Times reported that Trump’s Truth Social post came just hours after Moroun met with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Monday. According to The Times, Lutnick called Trump after that meeting.
Broader tensions
The bridge fight adds to ongoing friction between Trump and Carney over trade and tariffs. Since early 2025, Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs and repeatedly floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state.
The two leaders also clashed at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. Carney urged global leaders to unite against economic coercion, remarks widely interpreted as directed at the United States. Trump responded that Canada benefits heavily from the U.S. and should be “grateful.”
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