DC Mayor requests Trumps help on major sewage | Political News

Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, D.C., has reportedly accepted President Donald Trump’s offer to help handle the continuing sewage leak exterior the nation’s capital. 

Reports from Politico said that Bowser’s acceptance of federal help comes days after the president tried to pin the blame on her and Democrats. According to the president, if they wished help, they’d have to “call me and ask politely.”

Desperate for aid, the mayor wrote a letter to the president, in which she declared “a Major Disaster for the District of Columbia in response ot a sewer line collapse impacting the Potomac River.” She added that “I’m also in search of 100% reimbursement for prices incurred by the District and the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water), such that emergency response, restore, and remediation prices should not incurred by ratepayers in any impacted state or the District.”

In a letter obtained by The Daily Express U.S., Bowser wrote that “a number of state and federal companies are cooperating ot oversee the restore operations and shield the setting.” She added, “In response to this incident, I declared a State of Emergency on February 18, 2026. I approved implementation of the District of Columbia Emergency Operations Plan and the mobilization of District companies and assets.”

“I’ve designated Clint Osborn, Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), as the Mayor’s Authorized Representative (MAR), and Justin B. Brown, Deputy Director of HSEMA, as the District Coordinating Officer (DCO),” the letter concluded. “They are approved ot work straight with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and to present any further data or justification needed in assist of this request.”

Bowser signed the letter “respectfully’ in asking FEMA to cowl your complete quantity of damages as the leak persists. Normally, the company covers only about 75% of catastrophe repairs unless the injury is extreme.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Bowser commented that the plea to the president was made because he appeared in serving to and hoped to reduce the price to residents of D.C. Bowser, who isn’t in search of reelection, said that in addition to reaching out to the White House, she also declared a state of emergency.

“I have had outreach from the president’s team,” Bowser said during a press convention. “That would indicate to me that they’re supportive of the request.”

Politico reported that the last time a president authorised a catastrophe declaration for a sewage spill was in 1953. It is price noting that former President Barack Obama authorised an emergency declaration in 2016 for water contamination in Flint, Michigan, which started in 2014.

According to the Robert Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, handed in 1974, “All requests for a declaration by the President that an emergency exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State.” As of Thursday night, neither Wes Moore of Maryland nor Abigail Spanberger of Virginia has requested the president for help.

“Maryland will not be seeking an emergency declaration because the responsibility for the repair and subsequent clean up does not fall to Maryland,” said Rhylan Lake, a spokesperson for Moore, in an electronic mail to Politico. “Since Maryland owns neither the infrastructure nor the land, Maryland does not anticipate needing supplemental resources at this time.”

It was reported that local environmentalists have applauded the thought of federal intervention. “Going directly from zero comments on it to an emergency declaration after the fact seems like an unusual pathway,” Betsy Nicholas, president of Potomac Riverkeeper Network said.

“We haven’t heard anything from the mayor or the mayor’s office on this for an entire month, which in and of itself was a little surprising and frustrating,” she added.