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In his second term, President Donald Trump has not taken many actions that draw near-universal praise from across the political spectrum. But there is at least one of these political anomalies, and it illustrates the broad appeal of environmental protection and conservation projects—particularly when it concerns an ecosystem of vital importance to millions of Americans.

In May 2025, Trump issued a presidential memorandum that is key to keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes. These fish have made their way up the Mississippi River system and could have dire ecological consequences if they enter the Great Lakes.

It was not a given that Trump would back this project, which had . But two very different strategies from two Democratic governors—both potential presidential candidates in 2028—reflected the importance of the Great Lakes to America.

As a , I see this development not only as an environmental and conservation milestone, but also a potential pathway for more political unity in the U.S.

A feared invasion

Perhaps nothing alarms Great Lakes ecologists more than the to establish a breeding population in the Great Lakes. These fish were in the U.S. Southeast by private fish farm and wastewater treatment operators as a means to control algae in aquaculture and sewage treatment ponds. Sometime in the 1990s, the fish and moved rapidly up the Mississippi River system, including into the Illinois River, which connects to the Great Lakes.

Sometimes said to "," these fish , outcompeting many native species and literally sucking up other species and food sources.

Studies of Lake Erie, for example, predict that if the carp enter and thrive, they could make up within 20 years, replacing and other ecologically and economically important species.

Invasive carp are generally not eaten in the U.S. and are not desirable for sportfishing. In fact, silver carp have a propensity to jump up to 10 feet out of the water when startled by a boat motor. That can make parts of the Illinois River, which is , almost impossible to fish or even maneuver a boat.

The Brandon Road Lock and Dam solution

Originally, the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River were not connected to each other. But in 1900, the city of Chicago connected them to , from which the city draws its drinking water.

The most complete way to block the carp from invading the Great Lakes would be to undo that connection—but that would recreate sewage and flooding issues for Chicago, or require other expensive infrastructure upgrades. The more practical, short-term alternative is to in Joliet, Illinois, by adding several obstacles that together would toward the Great Lakes.

The barrier, estimated to , was authorized by Congress in 2020 and 2022 after many years of intense planning and negotiations. For the first phase of construction, the project received from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to complement —$64 million from Michigan and $50 million from Illinois.

On the first day of Trump's second term, however, he , including funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. And that's when two different political strategies emerged.

Pritzker vs. Whitmer vs. Trump

Illinois, a state that has voted for the Democratic candidate in , has the most financially at stake in the Brandon Road project because the project . When Trump issued his order, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, , blaming the "Trump Administration's lack of clarity and commitment" to the project. Pritzker essentially dared Trump to be the reason for the collapse of the Great Lakes ecosystem and fisheries.

Another Democrat, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, a swing state with the most at stake economically and ecologically if these carp species enter the Great Lakes, took a very different approach. She went to the White House to . She , though she also when Trump surprised her with an Oval Office press conference. When Trump visited Michigan, as they .

When Trump released the federal funding in early May, Pritzker kept up his adversarial language, saying he was "." Whitmer stayed more conciliatory, calling the funding decision a "." She said she was "."

Why unity on carp?

Whether coordinated or not, the net result of Pritzker's and Whitmer's actions but was little noticed nationally.

Trump's support for the project was a rare moment of political unity and an extremely unusual example of leading Democrats being on the same page as Trump. I attribute this surprising outcome to two key factors.

First, the Great Lakes region holds disproportionate power in presidential elections. Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania have backed the eventual winner in every presidential race for the past 20 years. This swing state power has been used by advocates and state political leaders to .

Second, . According to polling from the International Joint Commission, the binational body charged with overseeing waterways that cross the U.S.-Canada border, there is " for the importance of government investment in Great Lakes protections" from residents of the region.

There aren't any other issues with such high voter resonance, so politicians want to be sure Great Lakes voters are happy. For example, Vice President . And was one of the few things in the presidential budget that Democrats and Republicans agreed on.

Both Pritzker and Whitmer likely had state-based and .

Their combined effort has put the project back on track: As of May 12, 2025, he had paused back in February.

And perhaps the governors have identified a new area for unity in a divided United States: , particularly when they involve iconic natural resources, shared values and popular outdoor pursuits such as fishing and boating. Even when political strategies diverge, the results can bring bipartisan satisfaction.

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