lenaitch
Senior Member
Although they might be helping out their brethren and sisteren, Customs and Border Protection is a different department in DHS.
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Roads: Ambassador & Gordie Howe Bridges
- Thread starter drum118
- Start date
lenaitch
Senior Member
deleted
UrbanAffair
Senior Member
A case of blurred lines at this point.
AHK
Senior Member
From Bloomberg (but it is all over the news)
Trump Threatens to Block Detroit-Canada Bridge in New Trade Row
By Jennifer A Dlouhy and Thomas Seal
February 9, 2026 at 6:10 PM EST
President Donald Trump said he would start negotiations with Canada over a bridge project to connect Michigan and Ontario, and threatened to block its opening until the US was given adequate compensation and owned “half of this asset.”
The bridge, which is expected to open to traffic soon, is being financed by the Canadian federal government, with the expectations the costs will be paid for by bridge tolls.
Trump's comments are the latest broadside against Canada, as the US president ratchets up tensions with a major trading partner, having recently threatened tariffs on Canadian goods and expressed annoyance at remarks from Canadian Prime Minister.
President Donald Trump said he would start negotiations with Canada over a bridge project to connect Michigan and Ontario, threatening to block its opening until the US was given adequate compensation and owned “half of this asset.”
“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,” Trump said on social media Monday. “We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he added.
The president included a picture of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, connecting Detroit and Windsor, in the post. The bridge, which is expected to open to traffic soon pending formal tests and approval, is being financed by the Canadian federal government, with the expectations the costs will be paid for by bridge tolls.
The government of Canada, bridge authority, the Ontario premier’s office and Michigan governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s comments are the latest broadside against Canada, as the US president ratchets up tensions with a major trading partner. Trump has recently threatened to hit Canadian goods with a 100% tariff if the country made a trade deal with China and has expressed annoyance at remarks from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at Davos that offered an implicit denunciation of the US president’s foreign and economic policies.
Last month, Trump also threatened to impose a 50% tariff on aircraft from Canada and decertify new planes made there.
The deal between Ottawa and Beijing essentially swapped canola sales to China for a quota of electric vehicle sales to Canada. But Trump has cast the deal as a threat, arguing that it would give China undue influence over the US northern neighbor, reiterating those criticisms on Monday.
“Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China — which will eat Canada alive. We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so,” Trump said.
The US president also assailed Canada over levies on dairy imports, saying those tariffs were “unacceptable” and put “our Farmers at great financial risk.”
The latest spat comes as the US and Canada prepare to renegotiate a continental trade pact — the USMCA — which Trump agreed to in his first term.
Trump Threatens to Block Detroit-Canada Bridge in New Trade Row
By Jennifer A Dlouhy and Thomas Seal
February 9, 2026 at 6:10 PM EST
President Donald Trump said he would start negotiations with Canada over a bridge project to connect Michigan and Ontario, and threatened to block its opening until the US was given adequate compensation and owned “half of this asset.”
The bridge, which is expected to open to traffic soon, is being financed by the Canadian federal government, with the expectations the costs will be paid for by bridge tolls.
Trump's comments are the latest broadside against Canada, as the US president ratchets up tensions with a major trading partner, having recently threatened tariffs on Canadian goods and expressed annoyance at remarks from Canadian Prime Minister.
President Donald Trump said he would start negotiations with Canada over a bridge project to connect Michigan and Ontario, threatening to block its opening until the US was given adequate compensation and owned “half of this asset.”
“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve,” Trump said on social media Monday. “We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he added.
The president included a picture of the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, connecting Detroit and Windsor, in the post. The bridge, which is expected to open to traffic soon pending formal tests and approval, is being financed by the Canadian federal government, with the expectations the costs will be paid for by bridge tolls.
The government of Canada, bridge authority, the Ontario premier’s office and Michigan governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump’s comments are the latest broadside against Canada, as the US president ratchets up tensions with a major trading partner. Trump has recently threatened to hit Canadian goods with a 100% tariff if the country made a trade deal with China and has expressed annoyance at remarks from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at Davos that offered an implicit denunciation of the US president’s foreign and economic policies.
Last month, Trump also threatened to impose a 50% tariff on aircraft from Canada and decertify new planes made there.
The deal between Ottawa and Beijing essentially swapped canola sales to China for a quota of electric vehicle sales to Canada. But Trump has cast the deal as a threat, arguing that it would give China undue influence over the US northern neighbor, reiterating those criticisms on Monday.
“Prime Minister Carney wants to make a deal with China — which will eat Canada alive. We’ll just get the leftovers! I don’t think so,” Trump said.
The US president also assailed Canada over levies on dairy imports, saying those tariffs were “unacceptable” and put “our Farmers at great financial risk.”
The latest spat comes as the US and Canada prepare to renegotiate a continental trade pact — the USMCA — which Trump agreed to in his first term.
nfitz
Superstar
Time to put export tariffs on Ontario electricity again.
ericmacm
Active Member
Our government fronted the entire cost of the bridge project (including the US border plaza and connection with I75) when no level of US government wanted to contribute, so I think we have given more than our fair share here.
The entire project has been, at its core, an international collaboration between Canadians and Americans making this bridge possible. I got a chance to help work on the bridge for a short time years ago as an engineering student, and got to meet many incredibly qualified and hardworking people that made this happen.
To attempt to hold this project hostage, through the continued application of this administration’s grotesque and misplaced rent-seeking behaviour, is absolutely terrible and is yet another exhibit of the serious decline we are seeing on the other side of the border.
innsertnamehere
Superstar
I wouldn't be surprised if this is a lot like Trumps other recent threats to Canada - 0 follow through.
PL1
Senior Member
Perhaps another case of TACO? They need to take his phone away from him overnight.
ericmacm
Active Member
TACO or not, threats like this continue to inflict significant reputational damage on the United States, and trash their image as a historically reliable ally.
lenaitch
Senior Member
It probably doesn't help that the Governor of Michigan is a Democrat.
ShonTron
Moderator
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Though the governor who pushed this bridge construction through was a Republican.
Monarch Butterfly
Superstar
Canada can wait for the new bridge to open until after Trump leaves office. Trade with the States is down and Canadian tourists are avoiding travelling down to the States for now.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
Indeed. It's 35 months until inauguration day 2029. Considering construction started in 2018, or 91 months ago, what's another 35?
For comparison, the Eglinton Crosstown took 171 months from first shovel in Nov 2011 to this past weekend's opening.
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Haljackey
Active Member
I disagree,
The bridge is like 100% complete and it's wasted time, money and resources if that infrastructure isn't at least somewhat utilized. Every day it sits unused is one less day in it's usable life. Getting it operating will let us start recuperating the toll costs, and get revenue needed for basic maintenance and eventual full rehabs. It will also makes things far easier for those travelers and businesses who are using the Ambassador Bridge right now.
Even if traffic volumes are low for the early part of it's life, it gives the bridge authority and operators time to test all the functions almost as a open beta. How is the bridge operating/accepting the stresses of use? Is all the customs and immigration infrastructure working as intended? Etc. Any issues can then be worked out and that will ensure for a smoother, more efficient operation whenever higher travel demand returns.
Right now it's just words from a brain-rotting truth social post. No action. I wouldn't even recommend you read the entire Truth Social post unless you want to visit this moment from Billy Madison:
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crs1026
Superstar
Let’s not rise to the bait.
The belligerent threat is Trump’s habitual calling card. It’s just his signature ring tone.
Here the guy is, has ignored the whole project and refused to get the US involved, and now there is going to be a ribbon cutting that he isn’t invited to, and that will put his opponents in state government and in Canada in very good light. So, now he wants in at the last minute.
This is his trademark way of wanting to start a conversation and likely a negotiation. Nd what he wants far more than an equity share in the bridge is his own name on the thing, and probably a narrative about how he has dominated the deal and cowed Canada into submisson.
It may actually make sense for the US to buy in - at a price that recognizes that Canada took all the risk and did this on our own initiative and our nickle - we did originally ask the US to be a partner. So, give him his negotiation and let him attempt his narrative.
But even if he’s a maddening jackass in his method, this is one where we should keep our powder dry and not get excited. I do believe TACO will apply, and he may not actually care about the deal so long as he takes credit for something that he can flog to the MAGA folks.
- Paul
The belligerent threat is Trump’s habitual calling card. It’s just his signature ring tone.
Here the guy is, has ignored the whole project and refused to get the US involved, and now there is going to be a ribbon cutting that he isn’t invited to, and that will put his opponents in state government and in Canada in very good light. So, now he wants in at the last minute.
This is his trademark way of wanting to start a conversation and likely a negotiation. Nd what he wants far more than an equity share in the bridge is his own name on the thing, and probably a narrative about how he has dominated the deal and cowed Canada into submisson.
It may actually make sense for the US to buy in - at a price that recognizes that Canada took all the risk and did this on our own initiative and our nickle - we did originally ask the US to be a partner. So, give him his negotiation and let him attempt his narrative.
But even if he’s a maddening jackass in his method, this is one where we should keep our powder dry and not get excited. I do believe TACO will apply, and he may not actually care about the deal so long as he takes credit for something that he can flog to the MAGA folks.
- Paul