Trump Again Comments on Grand Ethiopian Dam: Ethiopia Has Seized Nile Waters - Sarmad
US President Donald Trump once again spoke about the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), stating that Ethiopia “has taken all the water” from the Nile River.
Trump said during a rally for his supporters in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, that the GERD is one of the largest dams in the world, noting that it had been funded by the United States, and describing this investment as “a stupid move.”
He added that Ethiopia “has taken all the water” from the Nile River, arguing that the situation “harms Egypt.”
Trump said, “They took all the water from a place called the Nile River, and this is not a good thing for Egypt. There is no longer any water in the Nile River, but I have addressed this issue.”
The US president’s remarks come amid a long-standing dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the dam, which cost $4 billion. Addis Ababa completed its construction and unilaterally inaugurated it in 2025, without reaching an agreement with the downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.
Over the past decade, Cairo has repeatedly expressed concerns that the GERD would affect its share of Nile waters, particularly during drought periods, while firmly rejecting any unilateral measures that could impact the shared waters of the river.
Egypt has also emphasized that Nile waters represent an “existential issue” that is non-negotiable, and, along with Sudan, has called for a legally binding agreement under international law that safeguards the rights and interests of all countries sharing the river’s waters.
In January, Trump offered to resume high-level US mediation between Egypt and Ethiopia, signaling Washington’s move toward a more active role in seeking a permanent resolution to the dispute.
In a letter addressed to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Trump stated that no country in the region should unilaterally control the Nile’s precious resources in a manner that harms downstream nations.
He added that resolving tensions related to the dam is a top priority for his administration’s efforts to bring peace to Africa and the Middle East.
