Moroun cash ties Michigan GOP hopefuls to Trump's Gordie Howe bridge standoff

[RandySF]

The big names in Michigan’s Republican 2026 must-watch election field each received large political contributions through the years from the family that operates the privately-owned Ambassador Bridge crossing between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.

That now draws several GOP candidates for office this year into the same scrutiny facing President Donald Trump after he threatened on Monday the opening of the Ambassador Bridge’s main competitor, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which is owned jointly by Canada and the State of Michigan.

That includes those who were supportive of the president’s threats — U.S. Rep. John James, who is running for governor, former Congressman Mike Rogers, who is running for the U.S. Senate, and state House Speaker Matt Hall, who is up for reelection this year. Those who remained silent about the situation, including U.S. Reps. Bill Huizenga and Tom Barrett, both of whom are also seeking reelection, and gubernatorial candidates Mike Cox, Aric Nesbitt and Tom Leonard, who are all running on the Republican side for governor along with James.

Trump on Monday said that he would prevent the bridge from opening soon if Canada didn’t meet his demands on reciprocal tariffs and better trade agreements for the U.S. after the president’s punitive tariffs led Canada to seek other trade partners, particularly America’s chief economic adversary, China.




https://michiganadvance.com/2026/02/11/moroun-cash-ties-michigan-gop-hopefuls-to-trumps-gordie-howe-bridge-standoff/

[2naSalit]

1. That didn't take long to...

find out.

sigh.

[AloeVera]

2. They are all traitors to their own state.

The State of Michigan, while not a contributor financially to the bridge, is an equal partner with equal ownership. Trump "forgot" to mention that!

First proposed in the early 2000s, the project was met with prominent opposition by Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun, who believed competition from a publicly owned bridge would reduce his revenue. A Canadian federal Crown corporation, the Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority, was established in 2012 to coordinate the bridge's construction and management. Environmental approvals and other permits were approved in the United States and Canada in the early 2010s. Lawsuits by Moroun alleged that the crossing agreement was illegal and the Ambassador Bridge had "exclusivity rights". These lawsuits were denied, along with various attempts to stop property expropriations, allowing the project to continue.

The "Bridging North America" consortium was selected in July 2018 to design, build, operate and maintain the bridge, and construction began that month. The CA$3.8 billion cost of construction will be funded by the Canadian federal government, paid for by bridge tolls. The bridge itself will be owned equally by Canada and the state of Michigan. As of February 2026, major construction of the bridge has been completed, with officials stating in October 2025 that it will not be open to traffic until "early 2026".

On February 8, 2026, United States president Donald Trump threatened to block the opening of the bridge, citing grievances regarding trade between the United States and Canada. These claims were subsequently challenged by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#:~:text=The%20bridge%20itself%20will%20be,traffic%20until%20%22early%202026%22.


This is what neighbourly cooperation for mutual benefit looks like. And putting state interests ahead of corporate interests. Then along came Trump...

[RandySF]

4. As a former Michigander I can attest that people there LOVE Canada.

James and Rogers are sabotaging thair own campaigns.

[Krazy_Kat]

3. How is a private company allowed to own an international border crossing?

The Moroun family has been causing chaos in SE Michigan for decades.

[bif]

5. They sat on the Train Station for years

And let it fall apart. Disgusting family. Thank god for Bill Ford.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. MaddowBlog-Democrats launch investigation into Trump's 'Bridgegate' controversy

Even in a White House known for corruption, the president’s objections to the Gordie Howe International Bridge appear quite brazen.

If you’re late to the controversy surrounding Trump and the Gordie Howe International Bridge (as I was), it’s a doozy:
- billionaire donor wants a lucrative monopoly
- he calls Lutnick
- Lutnick calls Trump
- Trump rejects his own position, does what the billionaire wants
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-17T21:59:01.375Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/democrats-launch-investigation-into-trumps-bridgegate-controversy

There was no obvious reason for Trump to make such a declaration — that is, until The New York Times reported on what happened just hours beforehand:

The billionaire owner of a bridge connecting Michigan with Canada met Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, on Monday hours before President Trump lambasted a competing span, in the latest flashpoint in the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Canada.

Matthew Moroun is a Detroit-based trucking magnate whose family has operated the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, for decades. He met on Monday with Mr. Lutnick in Washington, according to two officials briefed on the meeting who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation.

According to the Times’ report, which has not been independently verified by MS NOW, after Lutnick spoke to the well-connected billionaire donor, the commerce secretary spoke with Trump by phone. Shortly afterward, Trump issued his odd threat.

Even in a White House known for corruption, this appeared quite brazen.

In a piece for MS NOW published over the weekend, former Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan explained, “The busiest northern border crossing in the United States is the one between Detroit and Windsor, Canada. Billions of dollars of manufacturing and agricultural goods cross this border every day, as well as essential workers and professionals. This corridor is economically vital for the United States and crucially important to our national security.”

As things stand, Stabenow added, a single, privately owned toll bridge “dominates this critical trade corridor.” That bridge — you guessed it — is owned by the Moroun family, which wants to maintain its near-monopoly.....

Trump’s seemingly corrupt hysterics notwithstanding, there’s no reason for U.S. officials to oppose this project. Canada footed the bill for its construction, and it will collect toll revenue until it recoups its costs. At that point, the bridge will be jointly owned by both countries.

Yes, Trump and his White House team have come up with some creative new objections to the project they used to support, though as The Atlantic’s Jonathan Chait explained, “Trump’s stated demands to open the bridge are a mixture of fantasy and contrived grievance.”

The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal went so far as to label the mess Trump’s “Bridgegate,” harking back to the scandal that did lasting harm to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.