Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that a long-awaited international bridge between the United States and Canada will move forward, despite past opposition from President Donald Trump.

In her State of the State address Wednesday, the Democrat highlighted the upcoming opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will connect Detroit to Windsor, Ontario.

"For the first time in over a century, a new bridge connecting Michigan to Canada, the Gordie Howe International Bridge, will open," Whitmer said, according to The Hill.

Earlier this month, Trump had threatened to block the bridge from opening, citing concerns over trade and fairness in U.S.-Canada relations. The president has also urged Canada to engage in trade negotiations.

"I will not allow this bridge to open until the United States is fully compensated for everything we have given them, and also, importantly, Canada treats the United States with the Fairness and Respect that we deserve," Trump said in a Truth Social post.

Construction on the bridge began in 2018. It is slated to open later this year.

The project has been years in the making and represents a significant infrastructure link between the two countries.

In recent years, tensions between Washington and Ottawa have occasionally flared, particularly over trade policy and tariffs. Trump has previously suggested that Canada could become part of the United States and has taken a tougher stance on trade, straining what has traditionally been a close relationship between the neighboring nations.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the issue a day after Trump's remarks, saying he had a "positive" conversation with the president.

"We discussed the bridge," Carney said at the time. "I explained that Canada, of course, paid for the construction of the bridge, over $4 billion, that the ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the government of Canada and that in the construction of the bridge — obviously there's Canadian steel, Canadian workers — but also U.S. steel, U.S. workers that are involved."

"This is a great example of cooperation between our countries," the Canadian leader added.

The bridge project, backed by both Canadian and Michigan officials, is expected to play a key role in cross-border trade and travel once it opens.

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