The Gordie Howe International Bridge connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit across the Detroit River — and it’s been years in the making. Designed to relieve pressure on the nearby Ambassador Bridge, it sits at what officials have long described as the busiest land border crossing between the United States and Canada. The structure is nearly complete.
Trump’s objection
But the bridge may not open on schedule. President Donald Trump has said he doesn’t want it open yet, a position that could delay access to a crossing that handles an enormous share of cross-border trade and travel between the two countries.
Trump hasn’t specified publicly what conditions would need to be met before he’d allow the opening to proceed. No timeline has been given.
The Gordie Howe Bridge — named for the Hall of Fame hockey player who grew up in Saskatchewan and spent most of his career in Detroit — has been a joint infrastructure project between the U.S. and Canada. Its opening has been anticipated as a way to add capacity at a chokepoint that sees billions of dollars in goods cross each year.
Whether the administration intends to formally block the opening or is simply signaling reluctance isn’t clear. No executive order or official policy directive had been announced as of June 28, 2026.
