The Nile Is Egypt’s Lifeline - U.S. President Donald Trump Renews Warnings Over Ethiopia’s Mega Dam
July 20, 2025
Donald Trump again criticized Ethiopia's GERD dam in a speech before the Senate, saying the massive hydropower project on the Blue Nile “was built largely with American money” and warned that its operations could critically disrupt the flow of water to downstream Egypt. “The dam has one big problem—it doesn’t let much water through. And Egypt, as many of you know, lives on the Nile. It’s their blood, their heart, their soul. It’s everything to them,
- Donald Trump - I Saw the Dam From Space
Trump emphasized that he had closely followed the GERD issue since his first term in office, citing access to satellite imagery during the dam’s construction phase. “I was getting satellite images and watching this huge structure go up. And I said—what are they doing? Are they really going to block the river?” he told the crowd.
Trump said the situation “shouldn’t have unfolded the way it did.” He added: “We basically funded the thing, and now it’s creating a major crisis. It’s kind of crazy when you think about it.”.
- Egypt’s Water Security at Stake
Trump’s renewed rhetoric underscores growing international concern over the dam’s long-term implications for regional stability. Egypt, a nation of over 110 million people, relies on the Nile for more than 95% of its freshwater needs. It fears that Ethiopia’s filling and operation of the GERD—without a binding agreement—could severely curtail its water supply in times of drought.
The illiterate Galla Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is hiding from Donald Trump.