Trump Dismisses Canada's Disinvitation from Gordie Howe Bridge Ceremony, Cites Tariff Revenue and Renegotiated Deal
Key Takeaways
- •Canadian officials withdrew the United States' invitation to the Gordie Howe International Bridge opening ceremony in response to President Trump's new round of tariffs on most Canadian goods.
- •Trump claimed on Truth Social that the original bridge agreement was renegotiated so the United States now receives 50% of profits from the crossing.
- •The Gordie Howe International Bridge has been under construction since 2018 at a reported cost of roughly $5.7 billion Canadian.
- •The bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, is intended to supplement the existing Ambassador Bridge, which has carried the bulk of Detroit-Windsor vehicle and truck traffic since 1929.
- •Canada's Infrastructure Minister spokesperson stated that holding a celebratory event between the two countries would be inappropriate given the US trade actions.
President Donald Trump said he was unbothered after Canadian officials disinvited the United States from the opening ceremony of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, responding on Truth Social by highlighting tariff revenue and renegotiated terms of the cross-border infrastructure agreement.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, was originally expected to host a joint opening ceremony with both nations participating. The crossing is one of the busiest commercial corridors along the U.S.–Canada border, carrying a large share of bilateral freight traffic, and the new span has been under construction since 2018 at a reported cost of roughly $5.7 billion Canadian. However, Canadian officials reversed course on the ceremony following Trump's imposition of a new round of tariffs on most Canadian goods.
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump wrote: "Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States, but the original Deal on the Bridge, which was terribly negotiated by a previous Administration, no longer stands."
"We changed the terms of the Deal so that the United States of America now gets 50% of the Profit. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.
Canadian Response
Jenna Ghassabeh, spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, provided a statement to the Associated Press via email explaining the decision.
"In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries," Ghassabeh said.
The disinvitation marks a notable shift in tone for a project that has long been framed as a cooperative binational achievement. The bridge, named after Canadian hockey legend Gordie Howe, is one of the most significant cross-border infrastructure projects linking the two countries and is intended to supplement the existing Ambassador Bridge, which has carried the bulk of Detroit–Windsor vehicle and truck traffic since 1929.