WASHINGTON — Democrats said they have launched an investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to stall the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
“President Trump is once again attacking our neighbor to the North, threatening a new bridge that would help support our economy and thousands of good American jobs, mere hours after Howard Lutnick met with the billionaire owner of a competing bridge,” Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House oversight committee, said in a Wednesday news release.
In a social media post late Monday, Trump insisted the U.S. must be compensated before he’ll allow the bridge to open. He falsely claimed that the bridge was built with virtually no U.S. content.
“Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!'” Trump posted. “What does the United States of America get — Absolutely NOTHING!”
The New York Times later reported the post came after Lutnick, Trump’s commerce secretary, met with Matthew Moroun, whose family owns the competing Ambassador Bridge.
The Gordie Howe bridge, which will connect Ontario to Michigan, has for decades faced massive pushback from the Moroun family, which is a major Republican donor.
In a 2012 deal signed by Rick Snyder, the Republican governor at the time, Canada agreed to shoulder the cost of the bridge’s construction, which it would recoup through tolls. The Trump administration endorsed the bridge project in 2017 during his first term in office.
In a letter to Lutnick, Garcia said, “It appears that you have chosen to protect a politically connected billionaire donor family at the expense of promoting American commerce.”
Garcia requested all of the commerce secretary’s communications with the Moroun family and the Trump administration regarding to the Gordie Howe and Ambassador bridges.
He also requested all communications with the Moroun family about Prime Minister Mark Carney, as well as other communications from the Trump administration.
Garcia said “it is flatly unacceptable and undeniably corrupt” to let a wealthy donor dictate foreign and economic policy.
Carney spoke with Trump about the bridge on Tuesday and said he explained that Canada paid for the construction of the bridge and the ownership is shared between Michigan and the Government of Canada.
After the call, Carney said he expects the situation to be resolved.
The Gordie Howe bridge is supposed to open sometime this winter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2026.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
