WASHINGTON – House Democrats have launched an investigation into potential interference by former President Donald Trump and his administration regarding the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a project intended to ease border congestion between the United States and Canada. The probe follows reports that Trump threatened to halt the bridge’s development shortly after a meeting between Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the owner of the competing Ambassador Bridge, Matthew Moroun.
Ranking Member Robert Garcia of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee formally requested a wide range of documents from the Trump administration related to the Gordie Howe Bridge project, as well as all communications involving Lutnick and Moroun. In a letter addressed to Lutnick, Garcia wrote that the actions “appear to have prioritized protecting a billionaire donor family with political ties over American commerce.”
The Recent York Times reported that Trump made the threat to block the Gordie Howe Bridge just hours after Lutnick met with Moroun in Washington, and subsequently discussed the meeting with the former president. The Moroun family, which owns and operates the Ambassador Bridge, has long opposed the construction of a publicly funded bridge across the Detroit River, fearing it would end their monopoly on truck traffic in the region.
The Ambassador Bridge, and the proposed Gordie Howe Bridge, connect Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan. The Moroun family has been significant Republican donors, and Ambassador Bridge has spent substantial sums lobbying the Trump administration since 2017, according to public records.
Garcia’s letter to Lutnick asserts that interference with the Gordie Howe Bridge project could exacerbate traffic congestion, limit economic opportunities, and harm trade between the U.S. And Canada.
A separate legislative effort is also underway. A group of six Democratic representatives from Michigan have introduced the “Michigan-Canada Partnership Act,” which would prohibit the president or any federal official from blocking the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge without Congressional approval or a request from the Governor of Michigan. The bill has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Yet, the success of both the investigation and the proposed legislation is uncertain, as Democrats currently hold a minority in the House of Representatives. On Friday, the Michigan Democratic representatives joined the state’s two Senators in sending a letter to Trump, warning that his recent comments jeopardized the economic benefits and years of bipartisan work invested in the Gordie Howe Bridge project.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee has requested answers regarding the meeting between Commerce Secretary Lutnick and Ambassador Bridge owner Moroun, seeking to understand the nature of their discussion and any subsequent actions taken by the administration.
