Aerial photo of the “Gordie Howe” bridge that will connect Canada to the USA, PHOTO: Jim West / Zuma Press / Profimedia Images
US President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to block a bridge project between Canada and the United States, considering that the United States should own “at least half” of this infrastructure, AFP and Agerpres note.
“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States receives compensation for all that we have given them, and also until Canada treats the United States as fairly and justly as we deserve,” the US president wrote in a long and sometimes confusing message he posted on his Truth Social network.
“We will begin negotiations, IMMEDIATELY,” he added. “With everything we've given them, we should probably own at least half of this asset,” Donald Trump continued.
In the rest of his message, he again criticized Canada's desire to strengthen ties with China.
The US president predicted that in the event of a rapprochement, China would “devour Canada whole” and also that Beijing would end all ice hockey games.
Donald Trump also attacked former Democratic President Barack Obama, who authorized the project. But Canada paid all the costs of building it in advance.
The bridge will have a total length of 2.5 kilometers, a width of 37.5 meters and a height of 220 meters, according to the technical specifications of the project.
The bridge criticized by Donald Trump is a large-scale investment
This bridge, still under construction over the Detroit River, will be named after Canadian ice hockey legend Gordie Howe.
It will connect the American city of Detroit (Michigan) and the Canadian city of Windsor (Ontario). Construction began in 2018 at a total cost of 6.4 billion Canadian dollars, or about 4 billion euros.
According to the project website, the bridge is expected to open to traffic this year.
AFP recalls that since his return to power last January, Donald Trump has repeatedly made hostile statements against Canada and launched trade and economic attacks, even going so far as to say on several occasions that it should become the 51st American state.
He recently threatened the country with “100%” tariffs in the event of a trade deal with China and said the United States would withdraw certification for Canadian-made aircraft, particularly Bombardier jets.
