Bridge collapse aid becomes economic weapon in escalating Trump-Moore feud

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. 

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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.

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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. Though the port handles a relatively modest share of U.S. trade, nearly 5% of imports and a little more than 3% of exports, it is essential for certain goods.

The port is a key gateway for heavy machinery like bulldozers and tractors, and for critical metals and coal. In fact, it handles nearly all of America’s tin imports and more than a third of its nickel, both vital for electronics, steel, and batteries, according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. 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 to Fox News Digital.

The spokesperson added that reconstruction is already underway: "We have already begun rebuilding, and now that Maryland is showing great progress, our president is threatening to intentionally harm Maryland. We will continue to move full steam ahead because we know how vital this bridge is to the entire nation."

Trump, meanwhile, escalated the feud on Sunday after bristling at Moore’s invitation to join a Baltimore public safety walk.

"As President, I would much prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there for a walk," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. He accused Moore of having a poor record on crime "unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other Blue States are doing."

Trump added that he did not appreciate the tone of Moore’s invitation.

"But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the "troops," which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the crime," Trump wrote. He added that Baltimore ranks among the worst cities in the U.S. for crime and murder.

Moore’s office fired back, renewing calls for Trump to visit Baltimore in person. "This is a president who would rather attack his country’s largest cities from behind a desk than walk the streets with the people he represents," a spokesperson said, adding that Trump’s "blissful ignorance, tropes, and 1980s scare tactics benefit no one." A spokesperson for Moore, added that the city has recorded its lowest homicide level in 50 years.

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. 

Trump said he would address crime in other major U.S. cities, describing D.C. as a "hellhole" before federal law enforcement and more than 2,200 National Guard members were mobilized to patrol the city’s streets. "Now it’s safe," the president said a day after visiting with deployed troops in the capital.

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