President Donald Trump is threatening to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between the U.S. and Canada, citing a lengthy list of grievances that includes the removal of American spirits from Canadian liquor store shelves, as well as Canada's recently announced trade deal with China.

“I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve," Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform on February 9.

The $4.8 billion bridge project is scheduled to open sometime in 2026, with major construction having already wrapped up, and testing already underway. The bridge was first conceived in the early 2000s, and was approved under the Obama administration before construction officially kicked off during Trump's first term in 2018. 

The bridge — named for Canadian hockey legend Gordie Howe — will connect Detroit, Michigan, with Windsor, Ontario, and is widely viewed as a crucial alternate route for the $300 million worth of daily cross-border trade that moves across the nearby Ambassador Bridge. The private owners of the Ambassador Bridge have also long fought back against attempts to build a second span in the area, over concerns that they would lose out on toll revenue to a publicly-funded alternative.

It's unclear how exactly Trump would halt the opening of the bridge, given that construction costs were covered by the Canadian government, and that the span will operate under a joint ownership agreement between Canada and the state of Michigan. However, one possible tactic cited by the The New York Times would involve Trump declaring an emergency, allowing him to temporarily close a port of entry to respond to a threat to human life or national interests. Speaking to The Times, a spokesperson for Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said that the bridge is "going to open one way or another."

This marks the latest escalation of tensions between Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in recent weeks. Following the announcement of a trade deal between China and Canada in mid-January, Trump began issuing broad, erroneous claims regarding China's supposed plans for Canada, including the unfounded assertion that China intends to do away with ice hockey and eliminate the NHL's Stanley Cup tournament. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Carney also called on other so-called "middle power" nations to join together to chart an economic path away from U.S. interests.