Trump Blames Democrats for ‘Massive Ecological Disaster’
The Potomac River flows towards Washington while raw sewage is spilling into the river after a massive pipe rupture has sent sewage spilling into the Potomac River, in Glen Echo, Maryland., Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
President Donald Trump says his administration is deploying federal assistance in response to a major sewage spill in the Potomac River, while sharply criticizing local Democratic officials for what he called mismanagement of the crisis.
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump described the wastewater release as a “massive ecological disaster” and blamed authorities in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, singling out Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The spill began in January after part of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line in Maryland collapsed.
Trump said he has directed federal agencies to “immediately provide all necessary management, direction, and coordination” to safeguard the river, the capital region’s water supply, and surrounding natural resources. He said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will play a central role. “While state and local authorities have failed to request needed emergency help, I cannot allow incompetent local ‘leadership’ to turn the river in the heart of Washington into a disaster zone,” he wrote.
Regional utility DC Water estimated on Feb. 6 that roughly 243 million gallons of wastewater had escaped from the break since Jan. 19. The University of Maryland has described the incident as one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history, with high levels of pathogens and fecal-related bacteria detected. Health officials say there is no indication that drinking water has been contaminated, but they are advising residents to avoid the Potomac for now, including swimming, fishing, tubing, and kayaking.
The environmental emergency has also unfolded amid political tensions between Trump and Moore. The two have publicly clashed in recent weeks, including over Moore not being invited to a White House dinner for governors. In a statement, Moore spokesperson Ammar Moussa said Trump “has his facts wrong—again,” arguing the Potomac Interceptor has been a federal responsibility “since the last century” and accusing the administration of failing to act for four weeks. Moussa said Maryland agencies responded within hours of the collapse and will continue coordinating with Washington to keep the public informed as federal support ramps up.
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