Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick intervened to delay the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between the US and Canada and is pressing to renegotiate the deal for a larger share of toll revenue, according to people familiar with the matter. The $6.4 billion bridge over the Detroit River was set for a June 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony, but Lutnick stepped in at the last moment, forcing the event to be abandoned.
Background of the Bridge Project
Canada financed the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge after years of opposition from the owners of the existing Ambassador Bridge, who recently made a major donation to a Trump-aligned political group. The original deal allowed Canada to collect tolls until the construction costs are recouped, after which toll revenue would be split between Canada and Michigan, which share ownership of the bridge.
Michigan and Canadian officials had planned an opening ceremony and even sent out invitations, but they canceled it when Lutnick intervened, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe the negotiations.
Lutnick's Demands and White House Support
Lutnick is now seeking changes to toll allocations and other provisions, according to a US official who declined to elaborate. The secretary is leading the effort with the blessing of the White House, the official said. While Lutnick considers the bridge a separate matter from ongoing trade discussions, the standoff comes amid uncertainty about the future of US-Canada commercial ties. President Donald Trump has said he will not renew the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement by the July 1 deadline, sending it into a review process that could last years.
The Commerce Department declined to elaborate on Lutnick's position. “Secretary Lutnick is committed to securing the best possible deal for America on the Gordie Howe International Bridge,” spokesman Benno Kass said in a written statement. The Canadian government declined to comment, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office did not respond to requests for comment.
Trump's Previous Statements and Michigan's Role
Trump suggested in February that the US should own half the project and pledged to block its opening “until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given” Canada. He predicted the revenue from the bridge would be “astronomical.” It remains unclear how closely Trump has tracked the project since then or whether his demands have changed.
With the bridge ready for use, Michigan worked with Canadian officials to schedule the June 12 ribbon-cutting. At one point, Whitmer is said to have discussed the project with Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The US official said Wiles did not explicitly give the green light, though Michigan's move to proceed suggested the governor saw it as a tacit nod of support. Another US official said the ceremony plan was driven by the Canadians, not the US government. However, once the event was scheduled, Lutnick intervened to block it, supported by Pete Hoekstra, the former Republican congressman from Michigan who now serves as US ambassador to Canada, the people said.
