Lutnick leading charge on Gordie Howe Bridge ahead of delay: White House official

Another source who is not authorized to speak publicly about the matter said Lutnick and U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra intervened in the file this week.

Earlier this week, a Canadian source with knowledge of the planning — who is not authorized to speak publicly about it — said all signs Ottawa received indicated the bridge was cleared to open.

Whitmer’s office has not yet responded to a request for comment about whether the bridge had all the technical approvals to proceed.

During a Senate hearing last week, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said his personnel were ready to move once the bridge opened. Mullin added “there’s still negotiations between Canada and the United States” outside of his department that will need to be resolved.

The White House official said Lutnick has been spearheading action on the bridge since earlier this year.

The New York Times reported that Matthew Moroun, whose family owns the competing Ambassador Bridge, met with Lutnick just before Trump issued a social media post in February threatening to block the bridge’s opening if the United States wasn’t compensated.

The Gordie Howe bridge project has long faced heavy pushback from members of the billionaire Moroun family, who are longtime Republican donors.

House Democrats earlier this year launched an investigation into whether the Morouns took action to obstruct the Gordie Howe bridge’s opening.

The probe calls for Lutnick and Moroun to hand over documents relating to their meeting and other communications with the White House about the bridge, among other things.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2026.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Lutnick leading charge on Gordie Howe Bridge ahead of delay: White House official

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