President Trump Betrays the Great Lakes (Again)

CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker is demanding that the Trump Administration release federal funds for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project to protect the Great Lakes, an economic engine for the country and a fresh drinking water source for more than 40 million Americans. Earlier this week, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also asked President Trump to release these funds.

In December 2025, the Trump Administration issued an administrative review and pause on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. Federal funds are not being delivered, and the administration has still not provided further explanations or timelines as to when they will move the project forward.

In addition, three major federal grants to Illinois totaling $13.6 million for invasive carp removal are currently paused pending review by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The delay is hindering Illinois’ critical momentum in managing and controlling invasive carp in the state’s waterways. To date, fishermen contracted by the State of Illinois have removed nearly 78 million pounds of invasive carp from waterways.

In May 2025, President Trump issued a memorandum committing to protect the Great Lakes from invasive carp species. The commitment came after Illinois demanded a pledge from the federal government to deliver $225 million appropriated by Congress.

However, President Trump has broken his promise and failed to follow through on this commitment.

President Trump’s recent Truth Social post distorts the truth because his administration is failing to provide continued funding for the project or secure additional commitments from other Great Lakes states. Only Illinois and Michigan have directed resources to the project, but Governor Pritzker would welcome additional commitments from the full force of all eight Great Lake states.

“The Great Lakes are a treasured international resource and the largest fresh water source in the world, and if the Trump Administration does not deliver needed federal funds, then they are betraying every American that relies on this water,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “It is imperative that President Trump uphold his stated commitments to stop the invasive species threatening our Great Lakes and release the funds needed to resume construction on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. Illinois has always done our part, and it is past time President Trump do his.”

ILLINOIS HAS LED THE CHARGE TO PROTECT THE GREAT LAKES

Governor Pritzker does not need to be asked to join the fight for the Great Lakes, as Illinois has been at the forefront of combating the ecological and economic threat of invasive species.

The State of Illinois has continued to move the Brandon Road Interbasin Project forward while awaiting federal funding. In recent months, Illinois has hosted partners at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, including senior officials from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representing the Trump Administration and leaders from the State of Michigan, to review progress and coordinate next steps to protect the Great Lakes.

In addition, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has secured a critical parcel of land needed to support construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project — another step forward to ensure the project can proceed as soon as federal funds are released. Illinois has done its part for more than a decade, and Governor Pritzker has pushed for even greater progress throughout his seven years in office.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS TO THE GREAT LAKES

Invasive carp species pose an existential threat to the Great Lakes, and for two decades, there has been a bipartisan front working to prevent the northern migration of invasive carp. The Brandon Road Interbasin Project would provide a barrier between Lake Michigan and the swarms of carp swimming in the Illinois River. The prolonged federal funding pause by the Trump Administration has delayed construction work and put the entire project in jeopardy.

The threat to the Great Lakes impacts all who live along their banks and rely on them for drinking water, shipping routes, and the recreational tourism and fishing economies. Moreover, the Great Lakes are synonymous with the majesty many associate with the Midwest. Thousands of years ago, the movements of huge ice sheets formed the iconic shorelines we love. Illinois and Michigan have invested in innovative, immediate solutions to prevent invasive carp from destroying this beautiful natural resource, partnering with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project.

Governor Pritzker will continue to push these efforts forward, while ensuring that this crucial regional project is not shouldered solely by Illinois taxpayers.

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