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* Axios earlier this month…
[President Donald Trump] in May signed a memorandum offering his support to Michigan and Illinois for a $1 billion effort aimed at preventing invasive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes. […]
White House officials say they haven’t received the same cooperation from Pritzker or his team. They say their calls to Pritzker haven’t been returned. […]
Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill vehemently denied that the governor has been MIA on the subject.
Hill noted that Pritzker on July 24 hosted officials from Michigan and the Army Corps of Engineers at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Joliet to discuss the project. Hill said attendees “shared positive updates on the progress we are making to protect the Great Lakes.”
“If Trump wants to try lying to play political blame games he can, but Illinois will focus on delivering results,” Hill said. “If the White House needs an update on the project, we welcome their outreach but have not received any to date.”
* Trump took another shot at Gov. Pritzker over the invasive carp during a Monday news conference. The Daily Beast…
Donald Trump’s newest line of attack in his war with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker smells a bit fishy. […]
Speaking about the nationwide carp issue from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump tossed out the line, “I didn’t get a request from the governor of Illinois. Until I get that request from that guy (Pritzker), I’m not going to do anything about it.”
Trump was angling at the $1.15 billion Brandon Road Lock and Dam fix in Joliet—a project meant to keep silver and bighead carp from swimming upstream into Lake Michigan. Phase One started in May, with the feds covering about 90 percent of the construction, and Michigan and Illinois chipping in bait-sized state shares of $64 million and $50 million.
And while Trump has been freezing pots of cash across agencies like a cold snap, the Government Accountability Office and Democrats on Senate appropriations say that kind of “keep it on the dock” routine runs afoul of the Impoundment Control Act.
The president calls that law unconstitutional and vows to have it struck down in court—but he hasn’t filed the test case.
* Trump’s full remark…
Trump: You know, I did a favor for Kristi—for Kristi Whitman, Whitburn (Referring to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer) —a good favor, I think, with the fish, the carp, the China carp. Did you ever hear of it? China carp. And it’s taken over your Great Lakes, you know about that, right? And she came and she wanted to know if it’s possible for us to do something about it, and I said, well, I’ll do it, but I think it’s appropriate that the person from Illinois, the governor from Illinois, asks also. It’s a tremendously expensive project, actually. It’s invasive, it’s horrible what’s happened. And we can do it with GSA and various people, but we can do it. We’re gonna just have to see what happens, OK? We’re going to have to see.
Reporter: But you have the legal authority-
Trump: The governor of Michigan came, was very respectful, asked for it. She’s done a good job. […] I opened the Air Force base—you know, kept it open—for F-35s and various planes, F-22s too. I did that for the state of Michigan at her request. And also for our congressman—you know, we have congressmen that are unbelievably pro-Michigan up there. But some of this stuff, like the lakes, the Great Lakes—this is a big problem that nobody ever talks about, most of you probably have never heard of. We have a very, pretty violent fish that comes from China. China carp, Chinese carp. And you see them jumping out—they jump into boats, and they jump all over the place. They’ve got a lot of energy. And there’s a way of getting rid of them. It’s very expensive. And I didn’t get a request from the governor of Illinois, who is affected maybe more than anybody else, right? And I think, until I get that request from that guy, I’m not going to do anything about it.
* The Tribune…
In an emailed statement to the Tribune, Gov. JB Pritzker spokesperson Matt Hill cautioned against taking the statements “at face value,” he said, “as many are lies.” The state hosted partners at the project site July 24, Hill said, including high-ranking Trump administration officials from the Army Corps and state officials from Michigan.
“With Illinois leading the way, partners shared positive updates on the progress we are making to protect the Great Lakes. Illinois has done its part for more than a decade, and Governor Pritzker has pressed for even more progress for the past six years of his tenure,” Hill said. “While Trump lies to play political blame games, Illinois will focus on delivering results. If the White House needs an update on the project, we welcome their outreach but have not received any to date.”
Mistrust between Pritzker and Trump already delayed construction earlier this year. In February, a groundbreaking ceremony was canceled as the state postponed a property closing on the land, anticipating a future lack of federal funding after the administration withheld grants for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, halting 70 unrelated projects across the state.
While federal funds had been approved for phase one of the project, state officials had expressed concerns about proceeding without assurances from the administration that funding critical for the next two phases, as well as the operation and maintenance costs, wouldn’t be held back and leave Illinois taxpayers “on the hook.”
Thoughts?
posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:18 am
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===Thoughts?===
I believe the Governor already made it clear he is not going to bend a knee.
===Kristi—for Kristi Whitman, Whitburn (Referring to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer) ===
Neat. Real confidence inspiring.
Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:30 am
“And I think, until I get that request from that guy, I’m not going to do anything about it.”
I think that says everything there is to be said.
Only some people wanted this but unfortunately we are all going to get it.
Comment by Larry Bowa Jr. Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:36 am
So what you’re saying is that when Pritzker asked for assurances they were going to pay for this project he was right. He was right to be worried the federal government wouldn’t live up to its word. Lotta Pritzker was right moments these days.
Comment by Nerd Herddddd Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:37 am
Me, me, me, me. That is all you hear from trump. I find it so strange that republicans support that. My dad always despised selfish, self interested people but voted for trump 3 times. Baffling to me.
At this point, I don’t care if we get the money just don’t go begging trump for it.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:47 am
The president is willing to risk spoiling the Great Lakes ecosystem out of spite? That is on-brand at least. Did anyone tell Canada?
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:52 am
maybe he will like a Copi sandwich, with cheese.
Comment by Amalia Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 10:59 am
Copi, Mr. President.
Comment by LizPhairTax Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 11:00 am
It’s not Trump’s choice. It’s Congressionally mandated spending that he has a take good care responsibility to implement. Where are all my strict constructionists at?
Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 11:03 am
Of course he calls them ‘China carp’.
And even if we get the funds, there’s no guarantee that he won’t pull an NPR/PBS thing of demanding the money back.
Comment by BE Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 11:15 am
Isn’t the Brandon Road project more about protecting Lake Michigan for the benefit of the State of Michigan than it is for Illinois? Isn’t our involvement primarily because the carp had managed to get into Illinois waterways from the south?
(Not that we aren’t also interested in keeping the carp out of the Great Lakes, I just thought that if they got in it was a much bigger problem for other states potentially that it would be for us.)
Comment by Juice Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 11:56 am
I think we’re beyond the point where we can say, “but Congress set the money aside.” As we’ve seen from NPR and NIH funding, Congress doesn’t have the appetite to oppose Trump on this, and the Supreme Court is playing Calvinball with the rules to ensure all his proposed cuts can go forward while the legal battle plays out.
Comment by TreeFiddy Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 12:16 pm
The president’s name salad…ouch. Might be time for governors, Congress, and the Senate to wear HUGE name tags so he can easily identify members of government.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 12:37 pm
Would probably upset the he Mayor and Governor more if he shut down red line expansion and did carp projects
Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 12:39 pm
Maybe Trump could build the barrier and make Canada pay for it…but seriously, would it kill JB to be the bigger man here and make a simple request? Maybe call Trump’s bluff? Isn’t the goal to get the barrier built? Or is it more important to look tough? The blame for failing to stop the carp will cut both ways. Who cares who blinks first? Seems like neither side is truly interested in solving the problem and preventing a disaster. A schoolyard standoff benefits neither, but waiting for Trump to just give in is a dangerous ploy with a high probability of failure.
Comment by Captain Obvious Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 12:41 pm
=Maybe call Trump’s bluff? Isn’t the goal to get the barrier built? Or is it more important to look tough? =
So you are a Neville Chamberlain guy. Checks out.
The funds were already requested. Years ago. And enacted through legislation. No further action needed.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 12:49 pm
So wait President Trump won’t build a fence to keep “China Carp” out of the Great Lakes? Seems those buzzwords and the narrative fits right in his wheelhouse.
Oh the irony
Comment by Frida's Boss Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 1:08 pm
How about just asking him, Governor? I mean, it’s for the betterment of Illinois.
Comment by Leo from Dolton Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 1:23 pm
==would it kill JB to be the bigger man here and make a simple request?==
From Trump’s remarks: “The governor of Michigan came, was very respectful, asked for it. She’s done a good job.”
To be very clear, the State of Illinois has made the request and Congress has approved the funding. That’s how our system works. Full stop.
There is no requirement in the Constitution that a governor of a state must show up at the White House and kiss the President’s ring, a**, or anything else. Trump is trying to add that last step and make it a norm across the board. Some corporate, state, country, and other leaders have decided to comply, others have decided that making this the norm is very dangerous and refused to comply. I respect JB and any other leader who sees what is going on, calls it out, and refuses to comply.
Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 1:25 pm
Asian Carp can potentially displace nearly every other species in the Great Lakes…plenty of carp sandwiches for a starving population…how can you have your pudding if you won’t eat your carp?
Comment by Dotnonymous x Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 1:26 pm
Should the carp ultimately become invasive in the lakes (not that Trump already believes they have taken over the lakes), I guess we will have to either blame Pritzker for not bending a knee to the king, or we can blame the king itself.
And when those fish reach Lake Erie, I guess the people of Ohio will have to blame the Governor of Illinois for not bowing to the king of the United States /s
Comment by H-W Thursday, Aug 28, 25 @ 1:37 pm