Trump Blames Democrats for Massive Potomac Sewage Spill

Former president orders federal agencies to coordinate response to one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Former President Donald Trump is blaming local Democratic officials for a major sewage spill in the Potomac River, one of the worst environmental disasters in U.S. history. Trump is ordering federal agencies, including FEMA, to coordinate the response and cleanup efforts, accusing Washington, D.C. and Maryland leaders of "Gross Mismanagement."

Why it matters

The Potomac River is a crucial water source for the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and the massive sewage spill poses significant risks to public health and the local ecosystem. The political feud between Trump and Maryland's governor Wes Moore adds an additional layer of controversy to the crisis.

The details

The spill began in January after a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line in Maryland collapsed, releasing an estimated 243 million gallons of wastewater into the river. High levels of pathogens and fecal bacteria have been detected, prompting health officials to warn residents to avoid the Potomac for activities like swimming, fishing, and boating.

  • The sewer line collapse occurred in January 2026.
  • As of February 6, 2026, an estimated 243 million gallons of wastewater had escaped into the Potomac River.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who is ordering a federal response to the Potomac River sewage spill and blaming local Democratic officials.

Wes Moore

The governor of Maryland, who has openly clashed with Trump in recent weeks and whose spokesperson argues the Potomac Interceptor has been a federal responsibility "since the last century."

DC Water

The regional utility that estimated the volume of the wastewater spill.

University of Maryland

The institution that has determined the Potomac River sewage spill is one of the largest in U.S. history.

FEMA

The federal agency that Trump says will have a central role in the response to the Potomac River sewage spill.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

“Trump has his facts wrong—again. The Potomac Interceptor has been a federal responsibility since the last century, and the administration failed to act for four weeks.”

— Ammar Moussa, Spokesperson for Gov. Wes Moore (Statement)

What’s next

The judge overseeing the case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow federal agencies to take over the response and cleanup efforts from state and local authorities.

The takeaway

This sewage spill crisis highlights the ongoing political tensions between Trump and Democratic leaders, as well as the challenges of managing critical infrastructure and environmental disasters that cross jurisdictional boundaries. Effective coordination between federal, state, and local agencies will be crucial to mitigating the public health and ecological impacts of this disaster.