Trump Falsely Blames Maryland Governor for Potomac River Sewage Spill

The former president accused the Democratic governor of mismanagement, but the issue was caused by aging infrastructure maintained by DC Water, not state leadership.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Former President Donald Trump took to social media to blame Maryland's Democratic Governor Wes Moore for a sewage spill in the Potomac River, claiming it was due to "Gross Mismanagement of Local Democrat Leaders." However, the spill was actually caused by a breach in a sewer line maintained by DC Water, not the state government. Social media users quickly corrected Trump's false claims.

Why it matters

This incident highlights Trump's continued tendency to make unsubstantiated political attacks, even when the facts do not support his narrative. It also underscores the importance of verifying information, especially when it comes from politically charged sources, to avoid the spread of misinformation.

The details

According to reports, a breach in a sewer line maintained by DC Water, not the state of Maryland, led to millions of gallons of raw sewage being dumped into the Potomac River. Trump attempted to blame Democratic Governor Wes Moore and other local leaders for the "Ecological Disaster," but social media users quickly pointed out that the infrastructure issue was not under the state's control.

  • The sewage spill occurred in mid-February 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who made false claims about the Potomac River sewage spill.

Wes Moore

The Democratic governor of Maryland who was falsely accused by Trump of mismanaging the sewage spill incident.

DC Water

The utility company responsible for maintaining the sewer line that caused the Potomac River sewage spill, not the state government.

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What they’re saying

“He's just blatantly lying about this. The pipe is maintained by ⁦@dcwater⁩ and runs along the Clara Barton Parkway, which is maintained/run by the National Park Service. It has nothing to do with ⁦@GovWesMoore⁩.”

— Andrew Feinberg, White House Correspondent for The Independent (X)

“Trump is blatantly lying? That's so unlike him.”

— Dave (X)

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of verifying information, especially when it comes from politically charged sources, to avoid the spread of misinformation. It also highlights Trump's continued tendency to make unsubstantiated political attacks, even when the facts do not support his narrative.