Michigan Governor’s Call to Trump Leads to Lifting of Great Lakes Carp Project Halt

Construction on the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, a joint state-federal effort to stop invasive carp from reaching the Great Lakes, was suspended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in July with little explanation. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who has cultivated a surprisingly cooperative relationship with President Donald Trump, called the president on a Wednesday to request that he order the Corps to end the pause, citing recent findings of juvenile carp just 80 miles upstream of Lake Michigan.

Within hours, the stop-work order was revoked, though officials in Illinois reported they had not yet been formally notified of the change. The project, long delayed despite federal funding approved under the previous administration, is critical to protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem. The incident underscores how personal contacts can influence policy decisions in the Trump administration.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, a vocal critic of Trump, questioned the lack of communication to his state. The situation remains fluid as both states await confirmation that work can safely resume.