The owner of a historic bridge connecting Michigan and Ontario, who is wealthy, donated $1 million to a political action committee aligned with former President Trump shortly before the president criticized a new bridge online. Matthew Moroun, whose family has owned the Ambassador Bridge for many years, made the sizable contribution to MAGA Inc. on January 16, as disclosed in a campaign finance report filed by the super PAC on Friday. This donation, highlighted by the New York Times, has not been commented on by Moroun or MAGA Inc.
This development sheds light on the connection between Moroun and the Trump administration, particularly following the president’s recent threat to hinder the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a $6 billion project funded by the Canadian government. The ongoing opposition from the Moroun family towards the Gordie Howe bridge, which is expected to impact traffic and toll revenue at the Ambassador Bridge, has escalated tensions between the United States and Canada amidst their trade dispute.
While the Trump administration had previously shown support for the new bridge, the situation took a turn when the president, on February 9, threatened to impede its opening unless Canada made concessions. This ultimatum, conveyed via social media, coincided with a meeting between Moroun and a member of Trump’s cabinet in Washington, leading to the message being conveyed to the president.
Devin Judge-Lord, an expert in campaign finance from the University of Michigan, remarked on the unusual nature of the timing of the donation and the shift in Trump’s stance towards the new bridge. The Ambassador Bridge’s operating company has engaged in substantial lobbying efforts connected to Trump, with significant donations made by Moroun to Trump and the Republican Party, including $600,000 to Trump Victory during the 2020 election cycle and over $1.2 million to the Republican National Committee since Trump’s initial term.
