Here’s What We Know About Trump Declaring an Emergency in D.C. Over Potomac Sewage Spill – RedState
RedState has been keeping readers up to date on the controversy surrounding the major sewage spill into the Potomac River, affecting Washington, D.C. and neighboring areas.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social article that “due to incompetent local and state management of critical waste management systems,” naming Maryland Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, “[t]The federal government has no choice but to intervene. FEMA, whose funding is currently being defunded by Democrats, will play a key role in coordinating the response.”
We also shared with Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem highlighting the hypocrisy of congressional Democrats leaving these same federal employees without pay while expecting them to clean up their messes, as my colleague Jennifer Oliver O’Connell wrote.
READ MORE: Trump Orders Federal Takeover After Potomac Sewage Spill Hits Wes Moore
Kristi Noem exposes Democrats’ dishonesty as FEMA works without pay to clean up DC’s sewage
Now there’s an update, as President Trump officially declared a disaster emergency in Washington on Saturday. Here’s what we know about the federal response:
The declaration will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond and provide aid after a sewer pipe collapsed in January and spilled millions of gallons of raw waste into the water surrounding the nation’s capital.
…
The emergency declaration authorizes FEMA to provide direct federal assistance through its Public Assistance Program, specifically covering emergency protective measures classified as “Category B.”
The federal government will fund 75% of eligible response costs, according to FEMA. Mark K. O’Hanlon has been named the federal disaster response coordinating officer, and additional assistance designations may be made following further damage assessments.
Second. Noem said in a statement shared on
Today, @POTUS Trump led @FEMA And @EPA to provide emergency assistance to the District of Columbia as it works to protect people from the effects of the recent spill in the Potomac. @EPALeeZeldin and I will remain in close contact to ensure coordinated federal support to…
– Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) February 21, 2026
She continued:
FEMA deploys a team to support incident management, working directly with local officials and federal partners to coordinate federal resources. EPA will lead the federal response while @DHSgov and FEMA leverage all of our resources to ensure the cleanup is quick and effective.
But the end of his statement highlighted the political hurdle facing the federal effort, with the partial government shutdown leaving his own department and FEMA employees without paychecks:
Even as Democratic politicians close the door on us and these men and women remain without pay, DHS is committed to providing much-needed assistance to Americans affected by this disaster. We will not let our citizens suffer without help.
This is a developing story and RedState will provide updates as necessary.
Editor’s note: President Trump is leading America toward the “Gilded Age” while Democrats are desperately trying to stop him.
Help us continue reporting on President Trump’s successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
