Trump and Maryland governor Wes Moore battle over Potomac River sewage spill response

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out at Maryland Gov. Wes Moore over what he says is a lagging response to a January pipe rupture that sent sewage flowing into the Potomac River northwest of Washington.

Trump took aim at Moore even though a District of Columbia-based water authority and the federal government have jurisdiction over the busted pipe.

The 1960s-era pipe, called the Potomac Interceptor, is part of DC Water, a utility based in Washington that’s federally regulated and under the oversight of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Still, Trump, while spending the holiday weekend at his home in Florida, took to social media to say he “cannot allow incompetent Local ‘Leadership'” to turn the Potomac “into a Disaster Zone.” He said he has ordered federal authorities to step in to coordinate the response.

“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 added in his social media post.

But Ammar Moussa, a spokesman for Moore, said EPA officials did not participate in a recent legislative hearing about the cleanup and said the Trump administration has been broadly “shirking its responsibility” on the repair and cleanup of what University of Maryland researchers say is one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history.

“The President has his facts wrong — again,” Moussa said. He added, “Apparently the Trump administration hadn’t gotten the memo that they’re actually supposed to be in charge here.”

DC Water CEO and General Manager David L. Gadis said in a statement Monday, “We have been coordinating with U.S. EPA since the Potomac Interceptor collapsed.”

Who is responsible?

Asked why Trump was placing blame on Moore outside of Maryland’s jurisdiction, a White House official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Maryland was slow to coordinate with federal entities on the ruptured pipe and has not kept up with needed updates of the state’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

Trump said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will play a key role in coordinating the response, but noted the agency is being impacted by a a pause in funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The partial government shutdown began Saturday after congressional Democrats and Trump’s team failed to reach a deal on legislation to fund DHS through September. The impasse affects agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, the Secret Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and FEMA.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt pointed to the sewage spill on social media, posting, “Add this to the long list of reasons Democrats need to get serious and fund the Department of Homeland Security.”

The spill was caused by a 72-inch (183-centimeter) diameter sewer pipe that collapsed last month, leading to millions of gallons of wastewater shooting out of the ground and into the river.

DC Water says fixing the pipe in the aftermath of the Jan. 19 rupture has been complicated.

A video inspection of the pipeline earlier this month revealed the blockage inside the collapsed sewer line is “far more significant” than originally thought. The agency said it discovered a large rock dam about 30 feet (9 meters) from the breach in the sewage line, which requires treatment before the current spill can be addressed.

The emergency repair is expected to take another four to six weeks. The work will address the immediate repairs to the damaged section of the pipe and several other issues, including environmental restoration.

Washington, D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment says the drinking water remains safe, but has urged people to avoid unnecessary contact with water from the Potomac River, avoid fishing and keep pets away.

An ongoing fight between Trump and Moore

The president and Moore, a Democrat viewed as potential 2028 presidential contender, have frequently sparred since Trump’s return to the White House last year.

Trump says he’s excluding Moore and Democrat Colorado Gov. Jared Polis from a White House dinner for governors set for Saturday as state leaders gather in Washington for the National Governors Association meeting.

The president and aides have also criticized Moore and other Maryland officials for violence in the state’s biggest city, Baltimore, with Trump threatening to send National Guard troops as he has elsewhere around the country.

Moore and other Democratic officials in Maryland pushed back that homicides in Baltimore have reached historic lows with sustained declines starting in 2023, and said the state did not need National Guard troops.

The Trump administration has also questioned Moore about “DEI contracting practices” and “ballooning project costs” for the rebuilding of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The crucial bridge collapsed in March 2024 after a massive container ship crashed into it.

The president told reporters that his dissatisfaction with Moore’s handling of reconstruction of the bridge and the sewage spill are why he’s not including him in next weekend’s White House dinner for governors.

“He can’t fix anything,” Trump told reporters as he flew back to Washington from his home in Florida on Monday evening.

Moussa, the governor’s spokesman, said Maryland stands ready to work with federal officials.

“The Potomac isn’t a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment,” Moussa said.