President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., leaders to act "IMMEDIATELY" to address a massive sewage spill fouling the Potomac River, placing public pressure on local officials while the environmental cleanup continues.
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."
He asserted that "the Federal Government is not at all involved with what has taken place, but we can fix it," warning the situation, which he called a "Radical Left caused Environmental Hazard," would "only get worse."
The spill began on Jan. 19 when a 72-inch sewer line known as the Potomac Interceptor collapsed near the Clara Barton Parkway in Montgomery County, Maryland, sending hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the river, an incident described by local environmental groups as one of the largest in U.S. history.
Local authorities estimate the ruptured line has discharged roughly 243 million gallons of wastewater so far, and ongoing repair work could take months to complete.
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 help 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.
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