Newly released emails show how Canadian officials scrambled behind the scenes during the Gordie Howe Bridge Trump controversy in February. The documents, obtained by The Canadian Press through the Access to Information Act, reveal that a U.S. diplomat raised pointed questions about the bridge just hours before President Donald Trump’s social media post ignited a political firestorm.

Hundreds of pages of correspondence now offer a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how officials reacted in real time. The records show a mix of diplomatic calls, internal fact-checking, and media monitoring as the story spread rapidly across news outlets.

A Diplomat’s Call Before the Storm

According to the emails, bridge authority chair Marie Campagna spoke by phone with Baxter Hunt, the U.S. consul general in Toronto, on Feb. 9. This call happened just before Trump’s now-infamous post appeared online. Consequently, officials had almost no warning before the story broke publicly.

In an email to the bridge authority’s interim chief executive officer, Chuck Andary, and two senior officials at Canada’s Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Department, Campagna wrote that Hunt had “raised several questions,” including, “When will we know toll rates?”

Campagna also noted that Hunt repeated points he had previously raised in an earlier letter. However, most of Campagna’s email and nearly all of Andary’s reply were withheld from public release. As a result, the full scope of that conversation remains unclear.

Trump’s Social Media Post Ignites a Political Frenzy

Several hours after that call, Trump posted his comments on Truth Social, and the situation changed quickly. Andary immediately followed up with Campagna. “Related, it appears that the President has just posted about us on his Truth Social account,” Andary wrote.

In his post, Trump insisted that the United States would need to be compensated before he would allow the bridge to open. He also falsely claimed that the $6.4-billion structure was built with virtually no American content. His exact words left little room for interpretation.

“Now, the Canadian Government expects me, as President of the United States, to PERMIT them to just ‘take advantage of America!'” Trump posted. “What does the United States of America get — Absolutely NOTHING!”

The New York Times later reported that the post followed a meeting between Howard Lutnick, Trump’s commerce secretary, and Matthew Moroun, whose family owns the competing Ambassador Bridge. Notably, the Moroun family has long opposed the Gordie Howe project and remains a major Republican donor base.

Because of these connections, many observers questioned whether business interests, rather than trade policy, had shaped the president’s comments. Nevertheless, officials had little time to analyze motives — they needed to respond fast.

How the Bridge Authority Responded

Once the post went live, the bridge authority quickly produced a point-by-point fact check. This document challenged several of Trump’s specific claims about the project’s funding and American involvement. The team worked swiftly to correct the public record.

Andary also informed the bridge authority’s board members about the post. Later, he cited comments from Prime Minister Mark Carney on the matter, showing that the response reached the highest levels of government coordination.

Meanwhile, the bridge authority closely tracked media coverage of the story. Within just 24 hours, Trump’s comments had triggered more than 100 news stories and broadcast segments. Clearly, the post had struck a nerve across both countries.

Background on the Cross-Border Project

The Gordie Howe Bridge connects Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan. A June 2012 agreement between Canada and Michigan established the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority, a Canadian Crown corporation responsible for designing, building, financing, operating, and maintaining the crossing.

As the bridge’s operator, the corporation was also tasked with setting and collecting all tolls. This detail became especially relevant once Trump raised questions about revenue sharing and compensation for the United States.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony had originally been scheduled for June 12. However, the bridge is now set to open on July 27, after Canada agreed to adjust the deal related to revenue sharing between the two countries. This shift suggests the dispute did influence the final terms, even if only partially.

Officials Respond to Questions

The bridge authority did not respond to questions from The Canadian Press before publication. Similarly, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to elaborate further on Hunt’s letter, stating that it does not comment on the details of private correspondence.

Still, an embassy spokesperson confirmed that U.S. officials had been in regular communication with various Canadian counterparts. These conversations reportedly focused on addressing questions about the bridge’s financing structure and its revenue model.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026, with additional files from Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington.

Final Thoughts

The emails paint a clear picture: officials on both sides of the border were caught off guard by the timing and tone of Trump’s remarks. Even so, the bridge authority moved quickly to correct misinformation and keep leadership informed throughout the unfolding controversy.

As the new July 27 opening date approaches, the Gordie Howe Bridge Trump dispute serves as a reminder of how quickly diplomatic tensions can shift, even over infrastructure projects years in the making. Going forward, both governments will likely watch the crossing closely as it finally opens to traffic.