A President's Ultimatum: Trump Demands 'Clean Up' in Baltimore Before Visit, Threatens Key Bridge Funding

 

The escalating war of words between President Donald Trump and Maryland Governor Wes Moore has reached a new boiling point, with Trump demanding that Moore "clean up this crime disaster" before he would consider a visit to Baltimore. Adding a stunning new layer to the conflict, Trump also threatened to "rethink" the federal funding previously allocated for the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The drama unfolded after Governor Moore, a frequent critic of the president, extended an invitation to Trump for a public safety walk in Baltimore. Moore’s letter was a direct response to what he called "insults from the Oval Office," after Trump had described Baltimore as "so far gone" on crime and threatened to deploy National Guard troops to the city.

In a series of posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump doubled down on his rhetoric. "Stop talking and get to work, Wes," he wrote. "I'll then see you on the streets!!!" He went on to accuse Moore of having a "very bad" record on crime and suggested the governor might be "fudging his figures."

The Numbers Game: Who's Telling the Truth on Crime?

The clash over crime statistics is at the heart of the dispute. While Trump claims Baltimore is "out of control," Governor Moore points to significant progress. According to Moore, Maryland has seen a statewide 20% decrease in homicides since his inauguration. Furthermore, the Baltimore Police Department reported a 28% decrease in homicides and a 19% drop in non-fatal shootings in the first six months of 2025.

Conversely, the White House has cited a U.S. News and World Report article that ranks Baltimore as the fourth-worst city in the nation for crime and murders, behind only Memphis, Oakland, and St. Louis.

This back-and-forth reflects the broader national debate over crime data. Trump has also claimed that crime has been eliminated in Washington, D.C., since the National Guard was deployed there, writing, "After only one week, there is NO CRIME AND NO MURDER IN DC!" This is despite CBS News reporting that crime had already been on a downward trend in the city for the past year and a half, following a peak in 2023.

A City's Pushback

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has joined the chorus of leaders pushing back against Trump’s strategy. Appearing on WJZ, Mayor Scott stated that the city doesn't need National Guard assistance. Instead, he called for more federal law enforcement resources, like federal agents, to work with the city’s police force.

"We know that the National Guard is not the way," Scott said. "That's not what those soldiers signed up to do." The mayor credited the city's Gun Violence Reduction Strategy for the recent decline in crime rates, noting that the city is "as safe as it's been in my lifetime."

A Bridge to a Political Brink

In a shocking new development, Trump on Sunday also hinted at cutting off funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild. "I gave Wes Moore a lot of money to fix his demolished bridge. I will now have to rethink that decision???" he wrote on Truth Social.

This threat is particularly significant given that Congress had already passed a bill allocating $100 billion for disaster relief, which included funding for the entire cost of the bridge's replacement. The bridge collapsed in March 2024 after being struck by the cargo ship Dali, an incident that resulted in the deaths of six construction workers. The rebuild is expected to be completed by late 2028.

The president's comments suggest he is willing to use a critical infrastructure project as a political bargaining chip in his ongoing feud with state leaders.