Former President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada, insisting that Washington be fully compensated for everything it has given to its northern neighbor.

In a recent social media post, Trump stated the bridge, which links southern Detroit in Michigan to Windsor in Ontario, would not open until Ottawa treats the U.S. with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve.

Constructed with funding from the Canadian government, the bridge will be publicly owned by both Canada and Michigan. Although Trump has not specified how he could halt the bridge's opening, he mentioned that negotiations would commence immediately.

Scheduled to span the Detroit River, the bridge is expected to welcome traffic in early 2026, with construction beginning in 2018 amidst decades of contention between the two nations.

Estimated at a cost of $6.4 billion CAD (£3.4 billion), Trump's push involves claims that the U.S. should own at least one half of the asset. He asserted that Canadian officials expect him, as President, to allow the U.S. to be taken advantage of and vowed he would not permit the bridge to open until satisfactory compensation is secured.

While Trump's statement alluded to frustrations over trade tariffs on dairy products imposed by Canada, it remains unclear how his intervention might affect the bridge's imminent opening. The Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority developing the project is owned entirely by the Canadian government.

In the past, Trump's administration and Canada’s leadership, under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, acknowledged the bridge as a vital economic connector between the two countries. However, Trump also expressed concerns over a recent trade agreement between Canada and China, foreseeing potential negative impacts on Canadian interests, including sports like hockey, tied to national identity.

No immediate comments were received from Canadian or U.S. officials regarding Trump's claims and upcoming actions against the bridge's opening.