U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick intervened to delay the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge 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, funded by Canada, was set for a June 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony, but Lutnick stepped in at the last moment, causing the event to be abandoned.
Background of the Bridge Project
Canada paid for the bridge over the Detroit River after years of opposition from the owners of the existing Ambassador Bridge, who recently made a major donation to a Trump-aligned political group. A deal was struck to allow Canada to collect tolls until costs are recouped, after which they would be split. Michigan and Canada are to share ownership.
Lutnick is now seeking changes to toll allocations and other provisions, according to a U.S. official who declined to elaborate. The secretary is leading the effort with the White House's blessing, the official said.
Trade Tensions and Political Context
While Lutnick considers the bridge a separate matter from ongoing trade discussions, the standoff comes as questions swirl about the future of commercial ties between the U.S. and Canada. President Donald Trump has said he won't renew the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement by a July 1 deadline, sending it into a review process. Canada and the U.S. have been engaged in talks about tariffs and other trade frictions.
Trump suggested in February that the U.S. 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."
Michigan's Role and Reaction
With the bridge ready for use, Michigan worked with Canadian officials to schedule a June 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony. At one point, Governor Gretchen Whitmer discussed the project with Trump's chief of staff, Susie Wiles. The U.S. official said Wiles did not explicitly give it the green light, though Michigan's move to proceed suggested the governor saw it as a tacit nod of support.
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 Whitmer's office did not respond to requests for comment.
