From Crime to Commerce: Trump, Moore trade blows over crime and bridge money

Trump Threatens to Withhold Funding for Baltimore Bridge Reconstruction

What began as a war of words over Baltimore crime between Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and President Donald Trump is now turning into a high-stakes commerce fight.

Federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge, destroyed last March when a container ship lost power and slammed into it, has become the new flashpoint.

Trump’s Controversial Statement

On Sunday, Trump raised in a Truth Social post the possibility of revoking bridge funding and even deploying the National Guard to address the city’s crime problem: “I gave Wes Moore a lot of money to fix his demolished bridge. I will now have to rethink that decision.”

The revelation came on the heels of tit-for-tat barbs exchanged by Moore and Trump over Baltimore’s crime rates.

Moore argues that the prospect of withholding those dollars threatens to derail critical infrastructure projects tied to the Port of Baltimore, injecting uncertainty into efforts that businesses, labor unions, and federal agencies rely on to keep goods moving through one of the East Coast’s busiest shipping hubs.

The new bridge, which sits at Baltimore’s harbor entrance, is expected to cost approximately $1.9 billion. Without federal dollars, Maryland would struggle to cover that cost and construction timelines could slip past the current 2028 target completion, prolonging disruptions for commuters, truckers, and shipping.

Importance of the Port of Baltimore

The Port of Baltimore is an economic engine that supports upwards of 20,000 jobs, underpins the operations of more than 900 businesses and handles approximately $7 billion in trade. With most of its trade tied to Europe and Asia, this port also serves as a crucial link in international supply chains.

President Trump’s attack threatens this bipartisan agreement that is a win for port workers, truckers, small businesses, service members, and working families throughout Maryland and across America. Any threats to this funding will cause irrevocable damage to the national economy and to the entire State of Maryland,” a spokesperson for Moore wrote in a statement.

The spokesperson added that reconstruction is already underway and Maryland is making great progress despite the challenges.

Trump, however, escalated the feud by rejecting Moore’s invitation to join a Baltimore public safety walk and criticized Moore’s record on crime in the city.

Moore’s office fired back, renewing calls for Trump to visit Baltimore in person and highlighting the city’s progress in reducing crime rates.

Trump’s Focus on Crime

Earlier this month, the Trump administration rolled out a plan aimed at making Washington, D.C., “safer and more beautiful” as his administration doubles down on efforts to address crime and a growing homeless population in the nation’s capital.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said last week that more than 700 arrests have been made in D.C. since Aug. 11.