{
  "id": 13695792,
  "title": "Trump criticizes Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam – ‘stupid project’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/trump-criticizes-grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-stupid-project",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T10:23:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Egypt Independent",
    "slug": "egypt-independent",
    "url": "https://www.egyptindependent.com/trump-criticizes-grand-ethiopian-renaissance-dam-stupid-project/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "During a campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, US President Donald Trump reiterated his criticism of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, referring to it as \"a stupid thing.\" Despite acknowledging that Ethiopia had constructed a massive dam, one of the largest in the world, and that the project had received US funding, Trump still deemed it \"not good at all for Egypt.\" He claimed that the dam had drained the Nile River, rendering it almost devoid of water. In response to Trump's comments, Ambassador Salah Halima, Deputy Chairman of the Egyptian Council for African Affairs, expressed hope that the US President's remarks could reignite the American role in resolving the crisis. He emphasized that the issue of water rights for Egypt and Sudan should be addressed in accordance with international law. Halima noted that the US President had previously played a crucial role during his first term in negotiations with Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, leading to a draft agreement that aimed to balance the interests of the three nations and safeguard their water rights. This draft agreement also sought to establish protocols for managing prolonged droughts and water scarcity. According to Halima, the draft agreement had the potential to resolve the crisis in a manner consistent with international law. He warned that Ethiopia's approach to filling and operating rules, particularly during periods of drought and water scarcity, conflicted with Egypt's interests and posed risks to the country. Moreover, Halima expressed concerns about the potential construction of additional dams, which could exacerbate the risks faced by Egypt and Sudan, particularly in the event of prolonged drought or a dam failure.",
  "summary": "US President Donald Trump reiterated his criticism of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, calling the project a “stupid thing.” Speaking at a campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, Trump acknowledged that Ethiopia had built a massive dam—one of the largest in the world—, and that the project had been funded by the US. … The post Trump criticizes Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam –…",
  "key_points": [
    "Trump calls Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam a \"stupid project\"",
    "Egypt fears dam will drain Nile, leaving little water",
    "Ambassador hopes Trump will help revive US role in crisis resolution"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}