Trump says federal government should take over D.C.
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President Trump takes on Mayor Muriel Bowser. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images and Carlos Barria/Reuters/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump said he wants the federal government to run D.C., telling reporters late Wednesday that Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) is "not doing the job."
The big picture: Trump savaged the city on the campaign trail — making exaggerated claims of graffitied streets, rampant crime and urban mismanagement. Now, he's revived that rhetoric, after months of detente with Bowser.
Driving the news: "I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless," Trump said, per a White House pool report. He said the city has a "great police department," but it's "not utilized properly."
- Trump claimed D.C. has "too much crime" and "too many tents on the lawns," a swipe at homeless encampments, some of which are already under federal control on National Park Service land.
- "I like the mayor, I get along great with the mayor. They're not doing the job," he said. "We should govern D.C."
- French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and China's leader Xi Jinping can't visit D.C. and "have tents all over your beautiful, your once magnificent houses and lawns," Trump said.
Between the lines: As Congress holds final say over the city's laws, Bowser has walked a fine line and emphasized her more centrist positions with Republicans, such as hiring more police officers and being tougher on crime.
The big picture: D.C. just marked 50 years of self-governance, its residents electing a mayor and D.C. Council to manage what is now a $20+ billion budget.
- A full-scale takeover of the city would require Congress to pass a repeal of D.C. home rule. Only a handful of conservative Republicans have championed the so-called "BOWSER Act" so far.
- Trump could more easily move unilaterally to seize control of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Zoom in: Even with stepped up Republican intervention in D.C., worries of a takeover were dialed down after Trump and Bowser met at Mar-A-Lago in late December. The mayor called that a "great meeting."
- A full throttle effort to takeover D.C. would plunge its leadership into an existential crisis.
- Bowser cultivated warm ties with House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), who shepherded a bill that would allow for an NFL stadium redevelopment in D.C.
Reality check: D.C. has made progress on a post-pandemic crime spike. While there were still more homicides and carjackings last year than in 2019, the city had steep declines in violent crime.
What they're saying: After news broke, Bowser said on X, "Washington, DC is a world-class city." She cited positive headlines, like "violent crime is the lowest is has been in three decades."
- A spokesperson for Bowser did not immediately return Axios' request for comment in the evening.
Zoom out: Trump's comments about taking over D.C. follow his talk of Canada as a "51st state" and annexing Greenland.
