Lutnick delayed Gordie Howe Bridge debut to seek bigger cut of toll revenue: sources

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Once the June 12 ribbon cutting event was scheduled, Lutnick intervened to block it, supported by Pete Hoekstra. Photo by Tony Caldwell /Postmedia

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Despite negotiating the original deal, Michigan officials have not really been at the bargaining table, according to a person familiar with the matter. The talks have been between the Trump administration and officials in Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government.

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Lutnick believes the bridge gives the US leverage because its value is in connecting Canadian exporters to the US market, one of the US officials said. The Gordie Howe bridge was built not only for tourism, but to reinforce a vital trade corridor for the automotive sector and other industries.

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Manufacturers and transportation companies believe it will bring savings: trucks will no longer have to haul freight through 10 traffic lights in downtown Windsor, Ontario, which sits just across the river from Detroit.

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The US and Canada did more than $875 billion of trade last year. The US is the top buyer of Canadian products, by far, and Canada is the largest export market for US goods and services outside of the European Union, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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The Gordie Howe International Bridge in Windsor is shown on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. Photo by Dan Janisse /Windsor Star

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Excluding oil, the US has a trade surplus with Canada.

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It’s not clear how Lutnick wants to redraw the division of toll revenue, including whether he’s seeking an immediate split of the cash or simply a larger share in the future.

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Trump himself is a factor in the financial projections for the Howe bridge. The president’s tariff barrage and his musings about making Canada the 51st state have spurred boycotts, with some Canadians refusing to enter the US.

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The president has also said he doesn’t want auto imports from Canada. But auto parts manufacturers on both sides of the border are likely to be major users of the bridge. US auto assembly plants rely heavily on cross-border supply chains — Ford Motor Co., for example, makes engines in Windsor that supply its factories in the US Midwest.

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The Detroit-Windsor corridor is currently served by a tunnel, which cannot accommodate large trucks, and the Ambassador Bridge.

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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Prime Minister Mark Carney at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, on June 16, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Photo by Evelyn Hockstein - Pool/Getty Images

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Carney has previously downplayed the standoff. “At the request of the United States, we agreed to delay the opening and take the necessary time to resolve outstanding issues — a few issues that have been raised. And this is a collaborative approach,” he said on June 11.

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Michigan is home to one of this year’s most competitive Senate races, with Republicans hoping to pluck away a longtime Democratic seat with the retirement of Senator Gary Peters. Democrat Mallory McMorrow, who is vying for her party’s nomination, is blaming Trump for the bridge standoff, while Mike Rogers, the presumptive Republican candidate, has backed the administration’s move to use the project as leverage against Canada.

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Besides tolls, it’s not clear what other issues Lutnick is hoping to gain concessions on. One potential issue is control: Because Canada financed the bridge, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority is governed by a board appointed by the Canadian government.

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— With assistance from Brian Platt.

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