Trump Demands Immediate Action as Record Sewage Spill Fouls Potomac River
President Donald Trump urged Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., leaders on Tuesday to act “IMMEDIATELY” to address a massive sewage spill fouling the Potomac River, placing public pressure on local officials while environmental cleanup efforts continue.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that officials “must get to work, IMMEDIATELY” and suggested that if they “can’t do the job,” they should “call me and ask, politely, to get it fixed.”
Trump asserted that “the Federal Government is not at all involved with what has taken place, but we can fix it,” warning that the situation — which he labeled a “Radical Left caused Environmental Hazard” — would “only get worse.”
The spill began on January 19 when a 72-inch sewer line known as the Potomac Interceptor collapsed near Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland, sending hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the river. Local environmental groups described this incident as one of the largest in U.S. history.
Local authorities estimate that the ruptured line has discharged approximately 243 million gallons of wastewater so far, with ongoing repair work expected to take months.
In his post, Trump blamed “Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., who are responsible for the massive sewage spill” and called on the area’s governors and the U.S. capital’s mayor to take immediate action.
He also referenced the ongoing federal government funding impasse, claiming that even if federal assistance were sought, work would require “true Patriots … because many are not working right now.”
Public health and state agencies have issued warnings for people and pets to avoid contact with contaminated water, and recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, and boating have been restricted in affected river stretches due to high levels of bacteria.
