With a Black Woman Leading the D.C. Mayoral Race, Trump Talks Federal Takeover
One day before Washington, D.C. residents hit the voting booth, President Donald Trump suggested the federal government would “take back” the nation’s capital. While this wouldn’t be the first time the president has threatened to take over a Democratic city, it seems there’s one Black mayoral candidate who has especially triggered him.
Progressive candidate Janeese Lewis George is leading several polls ahead of D.C.’s Tuesday (June 16) primary. In a fiercely Democratic city like Washington, the winner of the Democratic primary is almost guaranteed to win November’s general election.
When Trump was asked about her policies as a self-proclaimed Democratic socialist, he quickly fought back.
“I wouldn’t like it,” the president told reporters of a potential Lewis George win. “And maybe we’d take back Washington, run it on the federal basis. We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses.”
The president has echoed similar rhetoric against New York City’s Democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, ABC News previously reported. But unlike the Big Apple, Washington occupies a unique position in the American political system because it is not a state.
What Trump Means by a Federal Takeover
The Home Rule Act of 1973 allows D.C. residents to elect a mayor and city council while leaving Congress with ultimate authority over local affairs. Congress can review local laws, intervene in the budget and, in some cases, override decisions made by elected officials.
Still, ALCU legal experts argue that a president cannot simply dissolve D.C.’s government through executive action. Any rollback of Home Rule requires congressional approval.
At the same time, the federal government still has far greater authority over D.C. than it does over any state or city. A potential federal “take back” could mean increasing oversight of local policies, restrictions on city spending or expanding federal involvement in public safety.
Trump’s comments have thus transformed this mayoral race into a national conversation about local control and, ultimately, democracy.
Why Lewis George Has Become a Target
Lewis George responded directly to Trump, writing on X, “Threatening DC because you do not like how our residents vote is an attack on democracy itself.”
She continued, “The people of DC elect the Mayor of DC. And they want someone who will stand up to Trump.”
The Democrat has emerged as the primary frontrunner, with policies addressing affordable housing needs, tenant protections, police reform and expanded social services. She also criticized Trump and the deployment of the National Guard throughout the District.
So, it shouldn’t be surprising that her positions landed her at odds with Trump’s priorities. For conservatives, Lewis George also represents a broader progressive movement gaining influence in urban politics. For her competitors, Lewis George’s promises are unrealistic.
Inside D.C.’s Primary Race
Although she could make recent history as D.C.’s first Democratic socialist mayor, Lewis George has to first get past her biggest rival, mayoral candidate Kenyan McDuffie.
A moderate Democrat and former D.C. Council member, McDuffie has positioned himself as a stark alternative to Lewis George. He’s disproportionally backed by the city’s business class, while Lewis George totes her record with the working-class.
They often butt heads over how to deliver affordable housing for residents and, most recently, the controversial teen curfew set in place to combat juvenile crime. But the one thing they can agree on is that any attempt at a federal intervention will not be tolerated.
McDuffie wrote on X, “As Mayor, I’ll fight tooth and nail to protect Home Rule and defend against MAGA federal overreach, keep our city safe and revive our economy that Trump’s policies have decimated.”
