Trump contradicts his own budget proposal, tells rally crowd he’ll give more money for Great Lakes restoration

President Trump said at a rally on Thursday that he backed the “full funding” for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, though his 2020 budget proposal calls to cut funding for the initiative by 90 percent.

“I support the Great Lakes. Always have. They’re beautiful. They’re big. Very deep. Record deepness,” Trump said during his rally in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Thursday night.

{mosads}“And I’m going to get, in honor of my friends, full funding of $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,” he continued.

The president’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year, which was unveiled earlier this month, makes a $270 million cut to the $300 million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, according to The Detroit Free Press.

The proposed spending cut marks the third year in a row the president has proposed making cuts to the program, which was launched in 2010 to protect and restore the Great Lakes.

Multiple journalists were quick to point out the apparent budget reversal during Trump’s rally on social media.

Another budget reversal? In Michigan, President Trump announces he wants to get full funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. But his administration’s 2020 budget proposal sought to slash funding by 90 percent, per the Toledo Blade. https://t.co/mfVtM379UT

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 29, 2019

Trump just called for full funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative at his rally in Michigan. And then there is this: https://t.co/3ckFFZt7b8

— Matt Berman (@Mr_Berman) March 28, 2019

In another reversal of his own policy, Trump announces $300M for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which his budget had slashed to $30M. https://t.co/ReKq8moJdT

— Jonathan Allen (@jonallendc) March 28, 2019

Trump just now in Michigan: “I support the Great Lakes. Always have. They’re beautiful. They’re big. Very deep. Record deepness. And I’m going to get, in honor of my friends, full funding of $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.” @toledonews

— Liz Skalka (@lizskalka) March 28, 2019

Local lawmakers came out against Trump’s proposed cut to the initiative earlier this month.  

“At a time when our government should be investing in job creating policies that improve America’s infrastructure, natural resources, and clean energy future, the Trump Administration is once again heading in the wrong direction,” Ohio state Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D), whose district borders Lake Erie from Toledo to Cleveland, told the Toledo Blade shortly after the proposal was unveiled.

“For the past few years, no matter whether it was a Republican or Democratic-led administration, there have been attempts to cut or eliminate funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. And every year, we have successfully defeated those efforts and ensured that this critical program receives full funding,” Ohio Sen. Rob Portman (R) said in a statement to the local paper at the time.

“The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative has been a successful public-private partnership that helps protect both our environment and our economy. It has been a critical tool in our efforts to help protect and restore Lake Erie,” Portman added.