In a pointed rebuke Friday, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray criticized the Trump administration’s recent move to redirect hundreds of millions in federal construction funds away from Democratic-leaning states, calling the effort a “blatant” act of political retribution.

Speaking at a virtual press conference with officials from Tacoma Public Utilities and the Covington Water District, Murray said the decision would hit key infrastructure projects in Washington state particularly hard — including the long-awaited fish-passage facility at the Howard Hanson Dam.

“Yesterday, the Trump administration released a plan to blatantly rob blue states and completely politicize federal funding for crucial projects,” said Murray, who serves as vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We are talking historically blatant thuggery from the White House here.”

According to Murray’s office, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving forward with a plan that would shift approximately $437 million away from blue states, while redirecting $258 million in additional federal support toward Republican-led states.

The Howard Hanson Dam project — which had bipartisan support and was included in both the Senate's and House Republicans' appropriations bills — is now slated to lose $500 million in federal funding, Murray said. That funding was previously secured to build a fish-passage system designed to improve water supply reliability, reduce flood risk, and protect the region’s salmon population.

“There was no explanation given,” Murray added. “But the motivation here is obvious, and it is alarming.”

Fellow Washington Democrat Sen. Maria Cantwell also spoke out, calling the administration’s decision a direct betrayal of multiple stakeholders who rely on the Green River ecosystem.

“Withholding funding for this project is a stab in the back to tribal, commercial, and recreational fishing families,” Cantwell said in a news release. “It also amounts to an abandonment of our commitment to tribal treaty rights, and ignores federal law intended to protect salmon.”

The fish-passage project, Cantwell added, is vital to reopening at least 60 miles of prime salmon and steelhead habitat, potentially doubling spawning grounds for endangered fish in the Green River basin.

In addition to Washington, projects in California and Hawaii are also expected to lose federal funding under the new plan, according to reporting from E&E News by Politico. These shifts in funding were made possible under a continuing resolution passed by Congress in March, which temporarily gives the White House broader authority over federal spending decisions.

Sen. Murray warned that the changes reflect a disturbing trend of politicizing federal infrastructure funding.

“The balance of states Trump wants to give more funding — and the states he wants to cut off — is completely lopsided: about two-thirds for red states, one-third for blue states,” she said. “Now for comparison, the budget request, our bipartisan Senate bill, and yes, even House Republicans’ bill, split the funding between red and blue states about 50-50.”

Murray stressed that this shift marks a dangerous precedent — one where funding could depend more on political loyalty than public need.

“Trump’s partisan vision is replacing Congress’ bipartisan understanding of which projects require funding,” she said.

The move comes amid heightened tensions between Washington state and the Trump administration. Since President Trump returned to office in January, state leaders have braced for renewed federal funding battles. In his 2025 address to lawmakers, Gov. Bob Ferguson specifically urged preparation for “significant threats to our federal funding.”

Trump has also publicly stated he intends to restrict funding to states with sanctuary city policies — a category that includes Washington.

More recently, federal agencies have launched investigations into Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and a new law requiring clergy to report child abuse, a measure that mirrors obligations already placed on teachers.

Murray concluded her remarks with a broader call to action: “It may not be your state today, but what happens when your governor disagrees with the president?” she asked.

“We have to push back now — today — which is exactly what I’m doing,” she said. “I will fight tooth and nail to prevent this completely partisan vision from becoming a reality.”

Originally reported by Sen. Patty Murray in Chronicle.