{"id":2570603,"date":"2026-02-17T11:06:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-moore-play-blame-game-over-potomac-waste-spill\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T11:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T16:10:49","slug":"trump-and-moore-play-blame-game-over-potomac-waste-spill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-and-moore-play-blame-game-over-potomac-waste-spill\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump and Moore play blame game over Potomac waste spill\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-and-moore-play-blame-game-over-potomac-waste-spill%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2570603&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece reports on a major wastewater spill in the Potomac River after a section of the Potomac Interceptor sewer line failed in Cabin John, Maryland, releasing about 200 million gallons of untreated sewage. President Donald Trump and Maryland Governor Wes Moore are depicted as trading blame: Trump accuses Moore and local Democrats of mismanaging the situation and says FEMA and other federal authorities will step in to protect the Potomac and the regional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fbi-fla-authorities-investigating-hack-on-pinellas-county-water-supply\/\" title=\"FBI, Fla. authorities investigating hack on Pinellas County water supply\">water supply<\/a>, while Moore\u2019s office counters that the federal government has long been responsible for the interceptor and criticizes the Trump administration\u2019s handling. Maryland officials and DC Water describe on-site containment efforts, bypass pumping, and coordination with the EPA; they say drinking water remains largely unaffected, but there is caution about potential E. coli contamination as temperatures rise. the article also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tim-scott-credits-crypto-lobby-for-ousting-sherrod-brown\/\" title=\"Tim Scott credits crypto lobby for ousting Sherrod Brown\">notes political tensions<\/a>, including Moore declining to attend a White House NGA dinner after being excluded from an invitation list, a point Trump defends, and it includes links to related and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jean-pierre-blasted-for-claiming-reopening-schools-was-a-priority-for-biden\/\" title=\"Criticism for Jean-Pierre...s Statement on Biden...s Priority to Reopen Schools\">recommended stories<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump and Moore play blame game over massive Potomac waste spill&nbsp;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2507935\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> and Gov. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wes-moore\/\">Wes Moore<\/a> (D-MD)&nbsp;are trading blame over one of the largest sewage spills in U.S. history &mdash; a rupture of a major <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/water-pollution\/\">wastewater<\/a> pipeline that dumped raw sewage into the Potomac River.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Trump posted to Truth Social on Monday, calling the ecological disaster &ldquo;a result of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116082091487085093\">Gross Mismanagement<\/a> of Local Democrat Leaders, particularly, Governor Wes Moore, of Maryland.&rdquo;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4459900\/democrats-recognize-must-deliver-less-chaotic-results-guy-benson\/\">Democrats recognize they must &#8216;deliver less chaotic results&#8217; to regain power: Guy Benson<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4460065\/ali-khamenei-iran-nuclear-industry-our-undeniable-right-threats-against-us\/\">Iranian supreme leader calls nuclear industry &#8216;our undeniable right&#8217; in series of threats against US<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4459956\/trump-honors-civil-rights-icon-jesse-jackson-good-man\/\">Trump honors civil rights icon Jesse Jackson: &#8216;Good man&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The president also said in his post that federal authorities, including the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fema\/\">Federal Emergency Management Agency<\/a>, were being directed to step in to &ldquo;provide all necessary Management, Direction, and Coordination to protect the Potomac, the Water Supply in the Capital Region, and our treasured National Resources in our Nation&rsquo;s Capital City.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Moore&rsquo;s office responded sharply, disputing the president&rsquo;s characterization, saying the federal government is responsible for the inceptor, and condemning the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration&rsquo;s<\/a> actions after the incident.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The President has his facts wrong &mdash; again. Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak,&rdquo; Ammar Moussa, spokesman for Moore, told the <em>Washington Examiner.<\/em> &ldquo;Apparently the Trump administration hadn&rsquo;t gotten the memo that they&rsquo;re actually supposed to be in charge here.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>As Trump is sending FEMA aid to help resolve the wastewater contamination, Moore&rsquo;s office said Maryland is willing to work collaboratively, though it noted the delay in response and the political nature of the president&rsquo;s comments.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Maryland officials were on site within hours of the leak to do our part to coordinate the response, and ensure the public was aware and protected. If the federal government is just now showing up to take action, we will work collaboratively&mdash;as we always do&mdash;to be responsive,&rdquo; Moussa said. &ldquo;The Potomac isn&rsquo;t a talking point, and the people of the region deserve serious leadership that meets the moment.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The incident began Jan. 19, when a section of the aging Potomac Interceptor sewer line collapsed in Cabin John, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/maryland\/\">Maryland<\/a>. The break has released an estimated 200 million gallons of untreated sewage into the river, prompting authorities to warn against recreational water contact.<\/p>\n<p>DC Water, the utility that operates the Potomac Interceptor, has <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/doee.dc.gov\/release\/potomac-interceptor-update-and-faqs\">publicly acknowledged its role and cooperation<\/a> with federal regulators and said that crews have installed bypass pumps and are working on emergency repairs while coordinating with the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/environmental-protection-agency\/\">Environmental Protection Agency<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>DC Water said the spill did not have a major impact on the quality of local drinking water, but it discouraged residents from using the Potomac River. Authorities are most concerned about the risk of E. coli bacteria contaminating the river. Those fears are heightened as the temperatures in the Washington, D.C., area rise this month, threatening to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >thaw previously frozen bacteria<\/a> and increase contamination.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4459643\/trump-fema-potomac-sewage-spill\/\"><strong>TRUMP DEPLOYING FEMA TO &lsquo;PROTECT&rsquo; POTOMAC AFTER SEWAGE SPILL, BLAMING DEMOCRATIC LEADERS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The dispute between Trump and Moore comes amid already strained relations.&nbsp;Moore confirmed last week that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4457621\/wes-moore-skip-governor-meeting-trump-debacle\/\">he will not attend<\/a> the annual bipartisan National Governors Association dinner at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a> after being excluded from the invitation list. Trump publicly defended the decision, saying certain governors were &ldquo;not worthy&rdquo; of attending. He also excluded Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO).<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<em>Washington Examiner<\/em>&nbsp;reached out to the White House for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump, Moore clash over Potomac sewage spill<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4130,"featured_media":2570604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26014662934789.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[44508,61729,48647,3634,73938],"class_list":["post-2570603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-blame-game","tag-moore-2","tag-potomac-river","tag-trump","tag-waste-spill"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/AP26014662934789.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4130"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2570603"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2570607,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2570603\/revisions\/2570607"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2570604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2570603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2570603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2570603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}