Ginther's "strategic" opposition to Trump policies
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Allie Carl / Axios. Photo: Kirk Irwin / Getty Images
Andrew Ginther doesn't want to fight Donald Trump on social media, but the Columbus mayor has taken an increasingly vocal approach in opposing federal actions during the president's second term.
Why it matters: Federal decisions can have major local impacts, and Ginther has positioned himself as an outspoken critic of some of Trump's signature policies.
- His approach comes ahead of a planned 2027 reelection campaign, which the mayor tells Axios is the extent of his political ambition.
Flashback: Ginther's opposition was less forceful when he and Trump were in their respective first terms.
- He met with Trump in 2017 to discuss infrastructure, while his marquee defiance was an executive order that year reinforcing the city's support for immigrants and refugees.
- The order underlined a directive to "vigorously oppose any effort to require the use of local taxpayer resources for the enforcement of federal immigration policy."
State of play: Eight years later, Ginther just wrapped a stint leading the U.S. Conference of Mayors and is campaigning for a fourth term.
- He tells Axios that Trump's return to power has required a change in approach.
- "This presidency and administration is very different than his first one, in a variety of different ways," Ginther says.
Case in point: As president of the mayors conference, Ginther in January led opposition to threats of frozen funding.
- He called a different set of cuts "potentially lethal."
- When Trump announced plans to pause refugee admission, end birthright citizenship and restrict immigration, Ginther told WSYX-TV, "We elect presidents, not kings."
Between the lines: Ginther says he's compelled to "fight back" when Trump "attacks" Columbus' values and priorities, but wants to be "strategic" about his opposition.
- "I'm not going to win a battle with the leader of the free world on social media, and that's not why people elected me mayor. They elected me to solve problems."
- There will be times when Columbus works with the administration, "but there are also going to be places where we stand up for our neighbors and fight for our community," he said.
Friction point: Trump's targeting of alleged sanctuary cities spurred controversy in April.
- The Department of Homeland Security named Columbus one of 500 "sanctuary jurisdictions" in a since-deleted announcement in May that alleged the cities were "deliberately and shamefully obstructing the enforcement of federal immigration laws."
The other side: Ginther stood by his 2017 order and said the city wouldn't change its policies, but disagreed with characterizing Columbus as a sanctuary city.
- "We believe the law is on our side and we will not be intimidated from supporting Columbus residents, no matter where they were born," he said in a statement.
- By last month, Columbus appeared to have been removed from the list.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein has meanwhile taken repeated legal action against the federal government.
- Klein has started or joined at least a dozen legal actions, including opposing the Trump administration's attempts to cut funding for programs fighting homelessness, "sabotage" the Affordable Care Act, deport students and cut health care tax credits.
The intrigue: Does publicly opposing the president and helming a national organization suggest loftier political ambitions? Ginther is adamant that he already has the job he wants.
- "I think this is the greatest job in the best city in the country," he tells us. "I absolutely love what I do. It has been a pure joy and pleasure for me to serve as mayor for the better part of 10 years now, and I can't imagine running for anything else other than reelection in 2027."