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The project has been 25 years in the making.
A new bridge connecting Michigan, U.S., and Ontario, Canada, is expected to open in 2026.
The bridge, which is named the Gordie Howe International Bridge after the late Canadian hockey-player, who won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, will be the longest cable-stayed bridge in North America.
But now the opening is facing pushback, as the U.S. President, Donald Trump, threatens to block the opening entirely.
Cross-border dispute
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. would not allow the Gordie Howe International Bridge to open unless Washington receives what he called fair treatment.
“The Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!'” he wrote.
“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them,” he added.
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The bridge was first proposed in the early 2000’s, and both the U.S. and Canadah had given environmental apporvals as well as other permits by the early 2010’s.
In 2013, the Obama administration granted Michigan permission to build the bridge.
U.S. should own “at least” half
The BBC reports that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later told reporters that Trump considers Canadian ownership of land on both sides of the bridge “unacceptable”.
She said he believes the U.S. should own at least half of the structure and share authority over cross-border traffic and economic returns.
Economic stakes
Ontario Premier Doug Ford voiced confidence the bridge would open as planned, calling it vital for both economies. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office described it as a model of bipartisan and international cooperation.
Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin warned that halting the “incredibly important infrastructure project” would be “awful for our state’s economy”, citing risks to supply chains and jobs.
The bridge, spanning the Detroit River, has cost an estimated C$6.4bn.
Sources: BBC, CBC, Detroit News
