Trump's Gordie Howe Bridge Threats Follow Commerce Secretary's Meeting with Rival Bridge Owner
U.S. President Donald Trump's recent threat to block the opening of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit to Canada came shortly after his commerce secretary held a meeting with the billionaire owner of a competing border crossing, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Meeting Precedes Presidential Intervention
On Monday evening, President Trump took to Truth Social to declare he would prevent the Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening until Canada provided what he called "full compensation" to the United States. The president further demanded that the U.S. should own fifty percent of the critical infrastructure asset.
This social media intervention followed a Monday meeting between U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Matthew Moroun, whose family owns and operates the Ambassador Bridge. The Ambassador Bridge currently stands as the busiest crossing over the border between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. Following this meeting, Secretary Lutnick reportedly placed a call to President Trump.
Longstanding Opposition to New Bridge
The Moroun family has a well-documented history of lobbying against Canada's construction of the new Gordie Howe bridge, which would directly compete with their privately-held Ambassador Bridge span. This opposition spans more than a decade.
In 2012, Matthew Moroun's father, Matty Moroun, supported an unsuccessful statewide ballot initiative in Michigan designed to restrict the state's ability to own or develop new international bridges. Later, during Trump's first term, Matthew Moroun lobbied the president to rescind a waiver granted by the Obama administration that exempted the crossing from requirements to use only U.S. steel.
Moroun-controlled companies have also filed multiple lawsuits aimed at obstructing the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, highlighting the intense commercial rivalry over this vital trade corridor.
Financial and Ownership Structure of the New Bridge
The $6.4 billion (US$4.7 billion) Gordie Howe International Bridge project was financed entirely by Canada. The structure is largely complete and was scheduled to open in the near future. Under an agreement established over a decade ago, Canada is set to receive all toll revenues until it recoups the construction costs.
After that point, toll revenues will be split equally between Canada and the state of Michigan. Both governments will co-own the asset and appoint an equal number of members to an oversight body responsible for its management.
Injecting Uncertainty into Critical Infrastructure
President Trump's involvement has introduced fresh uncertainty into a major infrastructure project at a sensitive time. According to one source, the president aims to strike a new deal with Canadian officials regarding the Gordie Howe bridge.
Trump spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday morning, during which he reportedly asked to involve U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, who hails from Michigan, in the discussions.
This broadside against Canada, the largest purchaser of U.S. exports, represents the latest escalation in tensions between the two nations. The development comes as both countries prepare to review the economically critical United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal, which Trump originally negotiated during his first term in office.
The White House has declined to comment on the sequence of events. Representatives for the Detroit International Bridge Company, which operates the Ambassador Bridge, and other companies associated with Matthew Moroun did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The initial report of the talks between Lutnick and Moroun was first published by The New York Times.
