February 9, 2026
Trump threatens to block $4B bridge Canada already paid for
Ambassador Bridge owner met Commerce Secretary hours before threat
🏛️Government🌍Foreign Policy💰Economy
Trump posted on Truth Social on Feb. 9, 2026 that he won't allow the Gordie Howe Bridge to open until the U.S. is fully compensated. He wrote that with all we've given them, we should own at least one half of this asset. He said Canada built it with virtually no U.S. content and called out Ontario for not putting U.S. alcohol on shelves and Canadian tariffs on U.S. dairy.
Matthew Moroun met with Commerce Secretary 
Howard Lutnick in Washington on Feb. 9, 2026. Two officials briefed on the meeting told The New York Times about it. Lutnick spoke with Trump by phone after the meeting. Trump's Truth Social post threatening to block the bridge came hours later that same day.
The Moroun family owns the Ambassador Bridge, which has been the only commercial truck crossing between Detroit and Windsor since 1929. The family took control in 1979. The Gordie Howe Bridge will compete directly with the Ambassador Bridge for commercial truck tolls. Industry estimates show 40% to 60% of Ambassador Bridge traffic could shift to the new bridge.
The Gordie Howe Bridge is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan under a 2012 agreement. Canada financed the entire $4.6 billion construction cost. Canada will recoup the money through toll revenue. After Canada is repaid with interest, Michigan and Canada will split subsequent toll revenue 50-50. Michigan got half-ownership with no investment.
The 2012 agreement required iron and steel used in construction to be produced in either the U.S. or Canada, with neither country favored over the other. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens confirmed U.S. steel was used on the Michigan side. The bridge was built by union construction workers from both countries. Trump's claim of no U.S. content was false.
Trump endorsed the Gordie Howe Bridge in his first term. In February 2017, Trump and then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a joint statement calling it a vital economic link between the two countries. They said they looked forward to the expeditious completion of the bridge. Trump's 2026 threat contradicts his own 2017 position.
The Moroun family spent at least $30 million on a 2012 ballot initiative to block the bridge. Michigan voters rejected the proposal. The family fought the bridge in courts for over a decade. Federal lobbying records show the Detroit International Bridge Company paused lobbying in 2021 but revived its relationship with Ballard Partners in 2025, hiring six lobbyists including Trump administration veterans.
Michigan Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters both criticized Trump's threat. Slotkin said canceling the project will have serious repercussions for Michigan's economy. She said Trump is punishing Michiganders for a trade war he started. Peters said the bridge was negotiated by a Republican governor and Trump endorsed it in 2017, adding Canada is our friend and ally.
Rep. Robert Garcia launched an investigation on Feb. 11, 2026 into Lutnick's meeting with Moroun. Garcia sent a letter requesting documents on the meeting and all communications between the Commerce Department and the Moroun family about the bridges. Garcia accused Lutnick of protecting a politically connected billionaire donor family at the expense of promoting American commerce.
🏛️Government🌍Foreign Policy💰Economy
People, bills, and sources
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Matthew Moroun
Chairman of Detroit International Bridge Company, Ambassador Bridge owner
Howard Lutnick
U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada
Rick Snyder
Former Governor of Michigan (Republican)
Robert Garcia
U.S. Representative (D-CA), House Oversight Committee member
What you can do
1
civic action
Contact the House Oversight Committee supporting the Lutnick investigation
Rep. Garcia is investigating whether Commerce Secretary Lutnick used his position to help a billionaire donor block a competing bridge. The investigation needs public support to ensure it's thorough and holds officials accountable for using government power to benefit private companies.
I'm calling to support Rep. Garcia's investigation into Commerce Secretary Lutnick's Feb. 9 meeting with Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun. Hours after that meeting, President Trump threatened to block the Gordie Howe Bridge, which competes with Moroun's bridge. This looks like government officials using their power to protect a billionaire's monopoly. Will the committee ensure a thorough investigation with public hearings? Will you subpoena documents and testimony from Lutnick and Moroun?
2
civic action
Contact Michigan representatives about protecting the bridge
Michigan businesses and workers depend on the bridge for trade with Canada. The Detroit-Windsor corridor is the busiest U.S.-Canada trade crossing. Blocking the bridge would cost Michigan jobs and raise costs for manufacturers. Representatives can press the White House to clarify how Trump plans to block an already-built bridge.
I'm calling about Trump's threat to block the Gordie Howe Bridge. This bridge is critical for Michigan jobs and the auto industry. Canada paid for it. Michigan owns half. Blocking it only helps the Moroun family's monopoly on truck tolls. Will you demand the White House explain how they plan to block a bridge that's already built? Will you investigate whether this decision was influenced by the Moroun family's Feb. 9 meeting with Commerce Secretary Lutnick?
3
civic action
File ethics complaints about potential corruption
The sequence of events suggests Lutnick may have used his official position to benefit a private business. Citizens can file ethics complaints with the Office of Government Ethics requesting investigation into whether Lutnick violated conflict of interest rules.