President Donald Trump posted a nearly 300‑word rant on Truth Social on Monday night, February 9, 2026, warning that he would block the launch of a new international bridge linking the United States and Canada unless the Canadian government hands over at least half ownership—even though Canada fully funded the project.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge—almost finished and connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan—has become the latest flashpoint in Trump’s intensifying dispute with Canada. His late-night message arrived just as Democrats prepare a House vote on his contentious tariffs targeting the country.
“As everyone knows, the Country of Canada has treated the United States very unfairly for decades,” Trump declared in the post. He vowed to block the bridge from opening until the U.S. was repaid in full for what he claimed were its contributions and until Canada demonstrated what he considered proper fairness and respect toward the United States.
The bridge, with an estimated cost of $6.4 billion CAD and funded solely by Canada, is set to be co-owned by Canada and the state of Michigan once completed. Construction began in June 2018—during Trump’s first term—and the crossing is expected to open later this year.
Trump accused former President Barack Obama of “stupidly” approving the bridge and granting Canada a waiver from the Buy American Act. What he left out, however, was that he himself labeled the project a priority in 2017 alongside then–Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with both leaders calling it “a vital economic link between our two countries.”
The plan dates back to 2012, when Michigan Governor Rick Snyder accepted Canada’s offer to pay for most of the project, using executive authority to circumvent the state legislature. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a rule on January 30 designating the bridge an official port of entry.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens didn’t hold back when reacting 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,” Dilkens told CBC News.
A spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer was blunt. “This project has been a tremendous example of bipartisan and international cooperation,” the spokesperson said to CNN. “It’s good for Michigan workers and it’s good for Michigan’s auto industry.”
Once open, the Gordie Howe Bridge will be the third border crossing between Detroit and Windsor, joining the Ambassador Bridge and the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel. The Moroun family—owners of the Ambassador Bridge—previously lobbied Trump during his first term to halt the new project, arguing it infringed on their exclusive toll-collecting rights.
Trump’s anger appears tied to recent discussions between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and China. In January, Carney secured an agreement allowing up to 49,000 Chinese-made electric vehicles into Canada per year at a 6.1% tariff—down from 100%—in return for China cutting tariffs on Canadian canola from 85% to 15%.
The president’s post also featured a strange and untrue allegation that China planned to force Canada to eliminate ice hockey. Trump claimed China would “eat Canada alive” and that its first action would be to shut down hockey nationwide and permanently eliminate the Stanley Cup.
Trump has previously warned he would impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it proceeds with its trade agreement with China. He has also repeatedly threatened to annex Canada and make it the 51st state.
Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin cautioned that stopping the bridge would seriously harm her state’s economy.
The escalating clash follows nearly a year of worsening relations between the Trump administration and Canada. At last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Carney warned of a “rupture” in global stability, arguing that middle powers must cooperate because “if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”
Trump responded in his usual combative style. “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, next time you make your statements,” he said.
Trump’s Monday night post was part of a larger pattern. Early Tuesday, shortly after 2:30 a.m. ET, he launched another flurry of Truth Social posts, sharing content going back to the 1980s, including photos from his 1987 meeting with President Ronald Reagan.
As the Gordie Howe Bridge approaches completion, it remains unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to actually block its opening—though revoking the 2013 presidential permit that authorized construction is theoretically possible. His threat marks yet another escalation in his ongoing dispute with Canada, a nation he continues to antagonize despite decades of close economic and diplomatic ties.
