WASHINGTON — President Trump crowed Friday that the US will be raking in 50% of the profits from goods passing over the new Gordie Howe Bridge that connects Michigan and Canada, days after he announced massive tariffs on America’s neighbor to the north.
“Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe International 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,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
“We changed the terms of the Deal so that the United States of America now gets 50% of the Profit.”
The president earlier this week also announced 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods such as wine, cement and even hockey sticks, which precipitated the Canadians scrapping plans for a joint opening ceremony.
The six-lane bridge — named for the Detroit Red Wings legend — will open to traffic on Monday. A brief opening ceremony was held Friday featuring Ontario Premier Doug Ford; Canadian Ambassador to the US Mark Wiseman; Windsor, Ont. Mayor Drew Dilkens and other Canadian officials, with no representatives from the US or Michigan present.
A soloist performed “O Canada,” but not “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
“Our relationship has been challenged over the last few years, and President Trump is threatening tariffs just this month. But team Canada has never been more united,” Ford told the crowd.
Dilkins said he had recently texted Howe’s son Murray, representing the hockey great’s family, to ask who “Mr. Hockey” would most want to slam into the boards.
“He’s a gentleman. He didn’t answer,” Dilkens said. “But I think we all know who that person might be if Gordie was going to check one person into the board.”
Trump initially threatened to block the bridge’s opening in February, but Canada later cut a deal that included a 50% cut of toll revenue for the US, which would also be able to veto any hike above 10% of current toll rates.
Large commercial vehicles are charged up to $12 per axle to cross the bridge, while smaller personal cars face an up to $8 per axle toll, according to the Gordie Howe International Bridge website.
Canada said the agreement involves “a series of cooperative measures focused on toll governance and transparency, as well as investments in the region, including through the establishment of a 15-year economic development fund tied to a portion of profits from bridge operations.”
The Ottawa government financed the construction of the bridge, which began in 2018, at a cost of CA$3.8 billion ($2.7 billion USD).
The bridge is supposed to cut 20 minutes off the crossing time between Canada and the US, saving truckers $2.3 billion over a 30-year period, according to a University of Windsor study.
Trump’s February threats to block the bridge were preceded by a meeting between Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Matthew Moroun, who owns the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor.
Moroun donated $1 million to the Trump-aligned PAC MAGA Inc. on Jan. 16, 2025, federal campaign finance filings show.
Reps for Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
With Post wires
