Democratic Maryland Gov. Wes Moore blamed President Donald Trump on Monday for the massive sewage spill in the Potomac River that caused dangerous bacteria levels.
Trump ordered the federal government on Monday to help clean up the spill and protect the river after a Potomac Interceptor sewage breach gushed millions of gallons of sewage into the river on Jan. 19. After Trump blamed Moore’s “incompetent leadership” for the spill, Moore’s spokesperson told WMAR-2 News, an outlet based in Baltimore, Maryland, that the Trump administration had failed to take basic actions to protect Maryland residents.
“The President has his facts wrong—again,” Moore’s spokesperson Ammar Moussa said. “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. Notably, the president’s own [Environmental Protection Agency] explicitly refused to participate in the major legislative hearing about the cleanup last Friday. Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here.”
Governor Wes Moore’s office is responding to a Truth Social post from President Trump attacking the Governor for the sewage spill in the Potomac River.
The source of the spill is under DC supervision.
“Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re… pic.twitter.com/48VEzNWPYS
— Jeff Morgan (@JeffMorganTV) February 16, 2026
Trump said on Truth Social that his administration will provide all of the “necessary” management and direction needed to clean up the mess and protect the river. A White House official told PBS News that Maryland was slow to coordinate with federal officials on the ruptured pipe and has not kept up with needed updates on the state’s water infrastructure.
“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,” Trump said. “I cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership’ to turn the River in the Heart of Washington into a Disaster Zone.”
Trump also said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will play a key role in coordinating the response, though the agency is being impacted by the pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The spill happened when a 72-inch diameter sewer pipe collapsed, leading sewage water to spill into the river, according to PBS News.
A water sample taken from Fletcher’s Cove in Washington, D.C., by the Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) recorded the bacteria level to be 60 times higher than what is considered safe for human contact, according to ARLnow. Emergency repair is expected to take another four to six weeks.
Moore has been floated as a potential 2028 presidential contender in the Democratic primary and has repeatedly sparred with Trump throughout his second term. The Maryland governor has pushed back against Trump’s threat to send National Guard troops to his state, claiming that crime in Baltimore reached historic lows.
Trump also excluded Moore and Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis from the annual White House dinner for governors, saying on Truth Social that they were “not worthy of being there.”
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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