What a Trump administration means for hometown D.C.
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Trump days before the Nov. 5 election. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Donald Trump's return to Washington portends four rocky years with the District — especially if he makes good on his campaign rhetoric to "take over" the city.
Why it matters: MAGA world despises the "swamp" and wants to shrink government, threatening the livelihoods of thousands of local civil servants.
Zoom in: Picture Elon Musk becoming a who's-who in town. Trump recently said he wants Musk to lead a government efficiency commission, "tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government."
- Musk could attempt to gut the federal workforce, Twitter-style.
- He could kickstart a migration of conservative tech types into Washington. Peter Thiel — a patron of JD Vance — is one Trumpy billionaire who already has a mansion in town.
Expect legions of Trump foot soldiers, settling in conservative micro-hangouts like Navy Yard and Alexandria.
Meanwhile, Trump will command tools to micromanage D.C.
- He could send in the National Guard to combat crime. Or revive a takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department — once attempted in the summer of 2020, but prevented after city leaders pushed back.
- In a tough financial climate, Trump could further squeeze the purse strings of the D.C. Council by leaning on Republican allies in Congress.
- He can also shape the cityscape — he's a big fan of keeping the FBI HQ in downtown D.C., and might he be interested in a project to build a new football stadium at RFK?
Reality check: We've covered Trump's anti-D.C. talk — his repeated vows to "take over our horribly run" capital. But saying it and doing it are two different things.
- Actually taking away the city's self-governance would require the feds to learn how to run a $21 billion city.
- And Trump would need both chambers of Congress on board for his most sweeping plans.
What's next: Inauguration weekend is Jan. 18-20, 2025.