Daijiworld Media Network – Washington

Washington, Feb 10: US President Donald Trump has said his administration will initiate immediate negotiations with Canada over the Gordie Howe International Bridge, warning that the project will not be allowed to open unless Washington receives adequate compensation and ownership of at least 50 per cent of the asset.

In a lengthy post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump accused Canada of treating the United States “very unfairly” for decades and said the new bridge linking Ontario and Michigan would be blocked unless US demands were met.

“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump wrote, adding that he would not permit the bridge to open without full compensation for the United States.

The Gordie Howe Bridge is a major cross-border infrastructure project designed to create a new six-lane crossing over the Detroit River, directly connecting Interstate 75 in Michigan with Highway 401 in Ontario. The bridge is intended to ease congestion and significantly boost trade between the two neighbouring economies.

In 2012, then Michigan governor Rick Snyder accepted an offer from the Canadian government to cover most of the construction cost, invoking executive powers to bypass the state legislature. Construction began in 2018, and the long-delayed project is now close to completion.

The bridge is being developed by Canadian authorities and is expected to play a crucial role in North American trade.

Trump criticised the project for having “virtually no US content” and objected to its construction without what he described as sufficient American involvement.

He also took aim at former president Barack Obama, referring to him as “Barack Hussein Obama”, and alleged that the Obama administration granted Canada a waiver from the Buy American Act, allowing the project to proceed with limited US participation.

Given the scale of the US market, Trump argued that Washington should own “perhaps, at least one half of this asset”.

The US President used the issue to revive broader trade grievances with Canada, particularly targeting Canada’s dairy tariffs, which he said have been “unacceptable for many years” and have placed US farmers at “great financial risk”.

According to a study by the University of Windsor, the Gordie Howe Bridge is expected to reduce border crossing times by 20 minutes, saving truckers an estimated $2.3 billion over the next 30 years.

Trump also warned Canada against deepening economic ties with China, accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of seeking closer cooperation with Beijing.

“Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China – which will eat Canada alive,” Trump wrote. “We’ll just get the leftovers.”

He reiterated his threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa were to pursue a comprehensive trade agreement with China.

Carney has rejected the allegations, repeatedly stating that Canada has no plans to sign a free trade agreement with China and that recent engagements with Beijing have been limited in scope.