Trump fixates on sewage, a favored talking point, in fight with Wes Moore

Politico

by By Miranda Willson and Annie Snider

February 19, 2026

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President Donald Trump has reignited his feud with Maryland Governor Wes Moore by focusing on a massive sewage spill in the Potomac River, calling it an "ecological disaster" caused by what he describes as gross mismanagement by local leaders. The spill, which began four weeks ago and released nearly 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater, has become a central issue in Trump's ongoing political battle with Moore, who is seen as a rising Democratic star and a potential 2028 presidential candidate. Trump has repeatedly criticized Moore for his response to the crisis, urging federal intervention to address the environmental damage and prevent the river from becoming a "disaster zone" ahead of July 4 celebrations. The sewage spill originated from the collapse of a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line near Cabin John, Maryland, on January 19. The line, which was built in 1964, carries wastewater from suburban areas as far as Dulles Airport to a treatment plant in Washington, D.C. DC Water has been working on emergency repairs but estimates that full restoration will take another four to six weeks, followed by an additional nine or more weeks of rehabilitation work. Trump's attention to the issue aligns with his broader pattern of using scatological concerns as political weapons, particularly against Democratic leaders. Trump's focus on sewage pollution is not new. In past administrations, he has targeted issues like raw sewage flowing into San Diego beaches and the Tijuana River, as well as San Francisco's sewer overflow problems. These efforts have often been seen as politically motivated, with critics accusing his administration of using environmental concerns to advance a conservative agenda. Now, in his feud with Moore—a Black governor who is pushing to redraw Maryland's congressional districts—Trump appears to be doubling down on this strategy, framing the sewage issue as a failure of Democratic leadership. The timing of Trump's criticism also comes less than two weeks after he excluded Moore from a White House dinner for National Governors Association leaders. The situation highlights the intersection of environmental policy and politics in Trump's approach to governance. While the administration has sought to roll back numerous climate and pollution regulations, sewage management remains one area where it has pursued additional protections. This stance has drawn criticism from environmental advocates, who argue that Trump is using such issues as a way to score political points rather than addressing systemic problems. For Moore

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Originally published on Politico on 2/19/2026