President Donald Trump issued a nearly 300-word outburst on Truth Social on Monday night, February 9, 2026, threatening to halt the opening of a new international bridge linking the United States and Canada unless the Canadian government hands over at least half ownership—despite the fact that Canada funded the project completely on its own.
The almost-finished Gordie Howe International Bridge, spanning Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, has become the latest flashpoint in Trump’s growing conflict with America’s northern neighbor. His late-night message came just as Democrats prepared to force a House vote this week on his contentious tariffs targeting Canada.
“As everyone knows, the Country of Canada has treated the United States very unfairly for decades,” Trump wrote in his Monday night post. He vowed to block the bridge from opening until the U.S. was fully reimbursed for its supposed contributions and until Canada showed what he considered proper respect and fairness.
The bridge, costing around $6.4 billion CAD and financed entirely by Canada, is set to be co-owned by Canada and Michigan after completion. Construction began in June 2018—during Trump’s first term—and the crossing is expected to open within the next few months.
Trump blamed former President Barack Obama for “stupidly” approving the project and granting Canada a waiver from the Buy American Act. Left unsaid was a key fact: Trump himself identified the bridge as a priority in 2017 in a joint announcement with then–Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with both leaders calling it “a vital economic link between our two countries.”
The project originated in 2012, when Michigan Governor Rick Snyder agreed to the Canadian government’s offer to fund most of the construction, using executive authority to bypass the state legislature. On January 30, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a rule designating the bridge as an official port of entry.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was blunt in his reaction to Trump’s threats. “It’s just insane, when I read that post I can’t believe what I’m reading, but it’s par for the course,” he told CBC News.
A spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer pushed back firmly. “This project has been a tremendous example of bipartisan and international cooperation,” the spokesperson told CNN. “It’s good for Michigan workers and it’s good for Michigan’s auto industry.”
The Gordie Howe Bridge will become the third crossing between Detroit and Windsor, alongside the Ambassador Bridge and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel. The Moroun family, owners of the Ambassador Bridge, previously appealed to Trump during his first term to stop construction, arguing the new bridge infringed on their exclusive toll rights.
Trump’s anger appears fueled by recent negotiations between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and China. In January, Carney secured an agreement permitting up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles per year into Canada at a 6.1% tariff—down from 100%—in exchange for China reducing tariffs on Canadian canola from 85% to 15%.
The president’s post also included a strange and untrue allegation that China intended to force Canada to abandon ice hockey. Trump claimed China would “eat Canada alive” and that its first move would be to eliminate ice hockey nationwide and permanently end the Stanley Cup.
Trump has earlier threatened a 100% tariff on Canada if it proceeds with its China trade deal. He has also repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and turn it into America’s 51st state.
Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, cautioned that preventing the bridge from opening would seriously harm her state’s economy.
The dispute comes after nearly a year of worsening U.S.–Canada relations during the Trump administration. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, Prime Minister Carney warned of a looming “rupture” in the global order, saying that middle powers must cooperate because “if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
Trump’s reaction was predictably confrontational. “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, next time you make your statements,” he shot back.
The president’s Monday night post was part of a larger trend. Early Tuesday morning, shortly after 2:30 a.m. ET, Trump launched another Truth Social barrage, sharing posts dating back to the 1980s, including photos from his 1987 meeting with President Ronald Reagan.
As the Gordie Howe Bridge nears completion, it remains unclear whether Trump could legally block its opening—though the 2013 presidential permit authorizing construction could theoretically be revoked. His threat marks yet another escalation in his ongoing verbal battle with Canada, a nation he continues to antagonize despite its long-standing diplomatic and economic partnership with the United States.
