Maryland residents were warned to stay away from the Potomac River following one of the largest sewage spills in American history last month. Now, the health crisis is turning into a political debate between President Donald Trump and Gov. Wes Moore as both attempt to shift blame for the environmental disaster.
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At least 240 million gallons of raw sewage were thrusted into the Potomac — a 383-mile river running through Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C. — after a major sewage line collapsed, according to DC Water. Officials have since confirmed drinking water was not affected and remains safe for residents.
Public health concerns that E. coli bacteria is reaching dangerous levels in the Potomac also triggered panic in Maryland. Pumps were installed on Jan. 23 to reroute incoming sewage into the river. According to the state, no new sewer overflow has reached the river since Jan. 29.
With all eyes on the Potomac, Trump took to Truth Social to blame Moore and other Democrats for the crisis.
“There is a massive Ecological Disaster unfolding in the Potomac River as a result of the Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland,” Trump wrote Monday (Feb. 16).
“It is clear Local Authorities cannot adequately handle this calamity. Therefore, I am directing Federal Authorities to immediately provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation’s Capital City,” he added, emphasizing the state “failed to request needed Emergency Help.”
Moore’s office responded to Trump’s attempt to bash his leadership.
“The President has his facts wrong—again. Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak. For the last four weeks, the Trump Administration has failed to act, shirking its responsibility and putting people’s health at risk,” a spokesperson for Moore told The Hill.
Tensions between Moore and Trump heated up in January after the president uninvited the governor to the National Governors Association’s annual White House dinner, we previously told you. But while Trump defended his right to pick and choose who his White House guests, many Democrats warned breaking the decades-long tradition would have grave consequences.
In the aftermath of the Potomac crisis, Trump is accused of once again targeting the nation’s only Black governor. “I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight — whether that was the intent or not,” Moore said in a statement.
Ironically, Trump’s calls to send the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Maryland comes months after he promised to gut the federal agency. FEMA has faced significant staff and budget cuts under Trump’s second term. In fact, documents obtained by the Washington Post show the agency might be planning to cut thousands of recovery and disaster response roles this year.
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