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Or sign-in if you have an account.A growing chorus of U.S. politicians are calling for the Gordie Howe Bridge to be opened. Photo by Dan Janisse /The Windsor StarA growing chorus of U.S. politicians is calling for the Gordie Howe Bridge to be opened.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe bridge, which connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Michigan was supposed to open in June, but U.S. President Donald Trump has gotten in the way, vowing in February on social media to block it from opening.Shri Thanedar, a Democratic congressional representative from Detroit and Bennie G. Thompson, a Democratic representative from Mississippi, who is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, as well as Lou Correa, a Democrat from California held a press conference along the Detroit River on July 7, calling for the immediate opening of the bridge.The lawmakers have accused Trump of carelessly delaying the project, which they say is critical for Michigan’s economy, reports MLive.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“Shame on Donald Trump. Shame on anybody else who wants to deny the citizens of this area an opportunity to have a publicly owned bridge,” Thompson said according to the Michigan news website. People fish in the Detroit River in front of the Gordie Howe International Bridge in June 2026. Photo by Jeff Kowalsky /BloombergTrump’s threat to block the bridge’s opening came earlier this year, shortly after a US$1 million campaign contribution was made in January by the Moroun family, which owns the competing Ambassador Bridge, as the National Post has reported.Canada loaned the bridge authority $7 billion to build the bridge, but as previously reported by National Post, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra recently said that merely makes Canada the bank. Ultimately, he said, the users will pay for the bridge with their tolls.He neglected to mention that Canada is to be repaid for the construction costs from the tolls over the next 35 years or so. And it’s not until after that happens, Canada and the state of Michigan will share equally in the revenue.Democrats at both the state and federal levels have been pushing for the bridge’s opening, while critics have pointed to the Moroun family’s ties to the Trump administration as a factor in the delay, reports American website, News From The States. “Play the long game on this,” Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens asks of Mark Carney on delay by the Trump administration in allowing the Gordie Howe Bridge to open. Photo by Dan Janisse/Windsor Star/Postmedia/FileThanedar said political maneuvering has come at the expense of the U.S. economy, according to the news site.“The bridge is essential for commerce between the United States and Canada,” Thanedar said at the press conference. “The bridge would be instrumental for our auto industry. The bridge would be instrumental to retain and increase our auto jobs, and the bridge is essential for Michigan’s economy.”Thanedar suggested that legal victories against other Trump administration policies are a potential sign that the president’s delay of the bridge opening could be met with the same fate.“We will use every possible means. We will not hide behind the fact that we are currently in the minority,” Thanedar reportedly said.Correa suggested giving Trump public credit for opening the bridge, when it happens.“I would say let President Trump be in the first car that comes across that bridge,” Correa said. “Let him cut the ribbon, let him come across, that’s the deal, and all the taxpayers would benefit from that, and he can take credit for that as well as he should.”Echoing President Ronald Reagan’s famous Cold War challenge to former Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev, Thanedar said: “Mr. Trump, open up the Gordie Howe Bridge. Mr. Trump, open up the bridge, because Michigan needs it, the people of the United States need it, Michigan needs it for the commerce, for the jobs, for our economy.”The efforts from Thanedar and his colleagues follows from previous political calls for the bridge to be opened, for example, Mallory McMorrow, a Michigan state senator since 2019, and Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate later in 2026.“Open the damn bridge,” she said in a campaign-style video in June.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.