*The battle over who will lead Washington, D.C., has expanded beyond local politics after President Donald Trump suggested the federal government could step in if Democratic candidate Janeese Lewis George ultimately wins the mayor’s office.
Trump made his remarks during a White House exchange when asked about the mayoral race. He suggested possible federal involvement in city leadership if he disagreed with the direction of local governance, NBC Washington reports.
“Well, I wouldn’t like it, and maybe we’d take back Washington and run it on the federal basis,” Trump said. “We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses. By the way, Washington, now, is a safe, beautiful place.”
Trump also pointed to what he described as improvements in the District’s condition. “People are coming; restaurants are thriving,” he said. “The restaurants were all closing, closed. Nobody wanted. Now you can’t get restaurant space, you can’t get into. We have a thriving community; we got rid of the crime.”
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The comments reignited attention on how the nation’s capital is governed. Washington, D.C. operates under a system known as home rule, which allows residents to elect a mayor, a city council, and neighborhood representatives who manage local services and policy decisions. This structure was created in the early 1970s through federal legislation approved by Congress and supported by D.C. voters. While it gives residents authority over day-to-day governance, Congress still holds final control over the District’s legal and political framework.
Lewis George accused Trump of challenging the District’s right to self-govern.
“We are not going to get ICE off our streets by fearing this president,” she said. “We are not going to protect our rights or Home Rule by obeying in advance.”
She added, “Threatening Home Rule because you do not like how residents vote is an attack on democracy itself.”
Fellow candidate Kenyan McDuffie also responded, arguing that Washington residents alone should decide the outcome of the election. His campaign stressed that the city’s leadership should remain in local hands while rejecting outside political influence on the race.
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