President Donald Trump drew swift condemnation from critics after making a promise to ailing families that came with a political string attached.
On Tuesday, Trump vowed that his administration would settle outstanding claims from people sickened by toxic water at Camp Lejeune, the Marine Corps base in North Carolina, but only if Republicans prevail in both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections.
"If we win the House and Senate, I am directing the Department of Justice to settle all remaining legitimate claims as soon as possible," the president declared in a clip that journalist Aaron Rupar shared on X. "If we don't win, there's no money."
Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2022, opening the door for people exposed to the base's contaminated water between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation in federal court. Many families have spent years waiting for those cases to be resolved.
Critics wasted little time tearing into the remarks.
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein (D) accused Trump of playing politics with the health of his state's residents. "Real leaders fight for the people, not for power," Stein wrote. "To condition doing the right thing by sick North Carolinians on who wins the election is foul."
HuffPost senior White House correspondent S.V. Dáte boiled the president's message down to a single word. "Extortion," he fired back.
Political scientist Norman Ornstein was equally blunt, branding Trump a "thug."
Washington Post reporter Dan Merica, who has chronicled the struggles of affected families, highlighted the human cost. "Camp Lejeune veterans and their families have been pleading for help for years. Their stories are heartbreaking," Merica argued, before noting that Trump was tying aid for those families to his party's performance at the ballot box.
The group Veterans For Responsible Leadership accused the president of exploiting service members. "Veterans and the troops are nothing more than political pawns to this cowardly draft dodger," the organization blasted.