President Donald Trump criticized Canada on Truth Social after Americans were “disinvited” from the opening ceremony for a bridge linking the two countries, as tensions between Washington and Ottawa remain heightened.
“Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States,” Trump wrote on Friday.
The 80-year-old president also took aim at the original agreement governing the bridge project — which began construction in 2018 when he was president — calling it “terribly negotiated” and declaring it defunct. “We changed the terms of the Deal so that the United States of America now gets 50 percent of the Profit,” he added.
Canadian officials held a ceremony Friday marking the completion of the $4.7 billion cable-stayed bridge, which connects Detroit to Windsor, Ontario. The bridge, which was financed by Canada, is scheduled to open to traffic Monday.
A joint ceremony featuring officials from both countries had been planned. But it was called off after Trump, on Monday, imposed a 50 percent tariff on a range of Canadian goods, citing what he described as discrimination against American autos and other products.
“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” a spokesperson for Canada’s Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson told The Associated Press.
Earlier this year, Trump threatened to block the bridge’s opening, pointing to Canadian restrictions on U.S. alcohol sales and other disputes. An agreement was finally reached in July to open the bridge, with Trump claiming to have secured a “much better deal.” According to Reuters, the U.S. is set to collect half of all toll revenue and hold veto power over any major toll hikes.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who did not attend Friday’s ceremony, blasted Trump’s latest tariffs in a Monday statement. He described the levies as being in “direct violation” of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a North American trade pact signed by Trump in 2020.
“This trade dispute has raised costs for families, particularly in the U.S.,” Carney added. “Canada stands ready to engage intensively to address outstanding issues with the U.S. to the mutual benefit of our citizens.”
U.S. relations with Canada — a longstanding ally — have deteriorated since Trump took office last year, driven in part by repeated tariff hikes on Canadian goods, including targeted levies on steel and aluminum.
Last week, Trump also confronted Carney during Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Final over the smoke from Canadian wildfires that has blanketed parts of the U.S.
“I told him, you got to stop these fires from coming in and poisoning our air,” the GOP president said, while recounting his interaction with the prime minister. Days earlier, he had vowed to hold Canada responsible for the smoke.
When asked about U.S. officials’ pledge to retaliate over the wildfires on July 17, Carney said: “We’re focusing on investing in clean energy…In the U.S., there’s prohibitions now against clean energy.”
“Climate change is the responsibility of everyone, truly everyone, including the United States,” he added.
Another source of contention has been Trump’s repeated suggestions that the U.S. could annex Canada as the “51st state.” Earlier this month, he amplified the idea by posting an image depicting an American flag draped across Canada — as well as Greenland.
Carney, the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, has firmly rejected the notion, telling Trump last year that Canada is “not for sale.” At other times, he has shrugged off the president’s hostile rhetoric. In June, Carney said: “We're not gonna respond or react to everything that he posts.”
Polls indicate that many Canadians now view their southern neighbor with a mix of disapproval and apprehension.
According to Pew Research Center data cited by CNN this week, 79 percent of Canadians say they have no confidence in Trump’s leadership. A separate January survey from Leger found that nearly one in three Canadians believe the U.S. could attempt to invade their country.
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