Oh Canada
Over the past year, Trump has been undermining the US tourism business.
“Inbound travel from all countries to the United States was down 5.4 percent from January through November of 2025, according to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. But it’s Canadians who have been staying away in the largest numbers. In November 2025 alone, the number of Canadians taking trips to the United States was down nearly 24 percent over the previous year.”
But that’s just a temporary setback, right?
“But in what has become a recurring problem for US tourism, a few days after Heywood traveled to advocate for US tourism, President Trump quickly extinguished any embers of goodwill.
“Trump has demanded that Canada “share authority” and ownership of a new bridge connecting the two countries. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Ontario to Michigan, will not open until the Canadian government “treats the United States with the fairness and respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Canada footed the entire $4.7 billion bill for the bridge.
“With all that we’ve given them, we should, perhaps, own at least one half of this asset,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Currently, the bridge is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan. Trump has threatened to block the opening of the bridge, which is near completion.
“The bridge is the latest in a string of insults to Canada since Trump came into office last year. Trump began his second term by dismissing Canada as the 51st state and suggesting it be annexed to the United States. As he was dismissing the country, he threatened new tariffs. As a result of the rhetoric, the American tourism industry lost billions in revenue last year. Canada is the largest inbound tourism market to the United States.”
Canadian airlines are dropping flights to the US due to lack of demand. Those are dollars that won’t get spent in US restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. Trump is bad for American business.
Trump is attacking the US tourism industry
“Inbound travel from all countries to the United States was down 5.4 percent from January through November of 2025, according to the US Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office. But it’s Canadians who have been staying away in the largest numbers. In November 2025 alone, the number of Canadians taking trips to the United States was down nearly 24 percent over the previous year.”
But that’s just a temporary setback, right?
“But in what has become a recurring problem for US tourism, a few days after Heywood traveled to advocate for US tourism, President Trump quickly extinguished any embers of goodwill.
“Trump has demanded that Canada “share authority” and ownership of a new bridge connecting the two countries. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Ontario to Michigan, will not open until the Canadian government “treats the United States with the fairness and respect that we deserve,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Canada footed the entire $4.7 billion bill for the bridge.
“With all that we’ve given them, we should, perhaps, own at least one half of this asset,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Currently, the bridge is jointly owned by Canada and Michigan. Trump has threatened to block the opening of the bridge, which is near completion.
“The bridge is the latest in a string of insults to Canada since Trump came into office last year. Trump began his second term by dismissing Canada as the 51st state and suggesting it be annexed to the United States. As he was dismissing the country, he threatened new tariffs. As a result of the rhetoric, the American tourism industry lost billions in revenue last year. Canada is the largest inbound tourism market to the United States.”
Canadian airlines are dropping flights to the US due to lack of demand. Those are dollars that won’t get spent in US restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. Trump is bad for American business.
Trump is attacking the US tourism industry
Some Infor on the new Canada and Michigan Bridge Crossing.
“Trump wrote: ‘With all that we have given them, we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset.” But the ownership of the bridge is already split between the state of Michigan and Canada – as government documents show, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office and Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens confirmed to CNN on Tuesday, Carney told reporters, and Republican former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wrote in a Tuesday op-ed.
Snyder, writing in The Detroit News, quoted Trump’s musing about how “we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” then responded: “We do already!” He wrote, ‘Canada and the state of Michigan are 50/50 owners of the new bridge.’” Canada paid for the entire construction of the bridge.
Having used the older crossways to go to work in Cazenovia NY while I still lived in Michigan, it proved to be an issue as the wait was too long and one time I directed to Canadian customs to answer some questions above my monthly travels. An hour wait and 5 minutes of answering and they sent me on my way. The 401 was empty much of the time past Windsor. Here are some pictures of what we are talking about
Basically, a map showing the crossing between Michigan and Canada. Canada paid 100% for the bridge. The agreement to build the bridge between Michigan and Canada was made by Michigan and Canada. While there is more likely than not an agreement between Canada and the US Gov., Michigan did the leg work and Canada paid. This is a big benefit to the automotive industry.
former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wrote in a Tuesday op-ed.
Snyder, writing in The Detroit News, quoted Trump’s musing about how “we should own, perhaps, at least one half of this asset,” then responded: “We do already!” He wrote, “Canada and the state of Michigan are 50/50 owners of the new bridge.” Others added their comments also as shown in the referenced article.
The benefit to having the new bridge plays out in trade and costs. The next picture (Figure 2 Average access time savings to industrial inputs for Motor Vehicle Manufacturing). This plays out in Canada, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. Less time spent at the border crossing at a privately owned bridge.
@Bill,
The more I read about this, the more I’m convinced that it’s just another effort by Trump to control the media cycle.
Joel:
Past dictators controlled the narrative so people would be confused or accepting of the narrative put forth by them. One extreme narrative was put forth before WWII.
In one of the articles I read, Trump did agree to the build in 2017. At least he was on board with it.
Recent comment by his majesty: “Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!’”
Let’s face it. Trump is an embarrassment to the United States. There is a little you can believe coming from his mouth. Michigan Republicans killed any chance of Michigan paying for the build.
Canada footed the bill.
Some more info:
The state Senate ended an argument between Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and Manuel Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge, after members in the Senate Economic Development Committee voted to kill bills 410 and 411. This would allow for the creation of a second bridge to Canada.
The Oct. 19 vote was made based on senators’ belief that the bills lack protections against public funding, Snyder’s projections of the bridge’s economic impact were overly ambitious and the likelihood that the project’s cost will exceed estimates.
While Snyder proposed that Michigan and Canada co-own the new bridge, Moroun wants to privately construct and own the potential second bridge.
Mike Murray, chief of staff for state Sen. Mike Kowall (R–White Lake), said Kowall voted against the bill because he could not be sure that taxpayer dollars would not be used to fund the bridge.
“While the supporters are absolutely sincere in their belief that taxpayers will not be on the hook for any of this … it could be changed quite literally tomorrow by simple majority vote,” Murray said.
@Bill,
So everything you posted is about the state of Michigan and Canada. Where does the federal government fit in on the bridge ownership?
Joel:
Technically, the United States does not fit in as it did not want to participate in any action to build the bridge. Canada paid for it. It is on land under the jurisdiction of Michigan.
However, many states have entered into contracting foreign governments.
“U.S. Constitution, states cannot enter into treaties or alliances with foreign powers, but they may enter into agreements or compacts with foreign governments if they obtain consent from Congress. In practice, U.S. states frequently engage in agreements with foreign governments regarding trade, economic development, and environmental protection, often without seeking formal congressional approval.”
It’s not just the political climate deterring tourists, the climate. With little to no snow ski resorts, for whom wealthy international tourism are a mainstay, across the west are drying up and blowing away. The seven plus year drought is finally getting someone’s attention …
@Ten,
There was an estimated 6 percent drop in foreign visitors in 2025. I doubt most international tourists come to the US for the skiing.