US President Donald Trump has threatened to block the opening of a new Canadian-built bridge linking Canada and the US across the Detroit River, demanding that Canada hand over at least half of the bridge’s ownership and meet other unspecified conditions.

“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them and, importantly, until Canada treats the United States with the fairness and respect we deserve,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Monday.

“We will start negotiations, IMMEDIATELY. With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” he said.

Trump included an image of the new $4.6bn Gordie Howe International Bridge project, which connects Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario.

The bridge is expected to open in early 2026. On January 30, the US Department of Homeland Security published a rule designating the bridge as an official port of entry. The project was negotiated by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, a Republican, and financed by the Canadian government.

The bridge is designed to ease heavy truck traffic currently handled by the Ambassador Bridge.

According to a University of Windsor study, the Gordie Howe Bridge could cut up to 20 minutes off crossing times, saving truckers an estimated $2.3bn over 30 years.

Construction has been under way since 2018.

Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, warned that cancelling the project would have major economic consequences.

“Cancelling this project will have serious repercussions – higher costs for Michigan businesses, less secure supply chains and, ultimately, fewer jobs,” she said.

US-Canada spat

Trump has made several threats targeting Canada during his second term, including sharply increasing tariffs on US imports from its northern neighbour.

Last month, Trump said he would impose a 100 percent tariff on Canada if it moved forward with a trade deal with China.

In January, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney travelled to China to reset strained bilateral ties, reaching a trade agreement with Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the US.

Trump also said in January that the US could decertify Bombardier Global Express business jets, and threatened 50 percent tariffs on all aircraft made in Canada unless Ottawa certified several aircraft produced by US rival Gulfstream.

So far, the Trump administration has not taken action against Canadian aircraft.

The slew of disagreements comes as the US and Canada prepare to renegotiate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which Trump signed during his first term. (Al Jazeera)

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