Trump Threatens Federal Takeover of DC if Lewis George Wins

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that his administration may seize federal control of Washington, D.C., if democratic socialist candidate Janeese Lewis George wins the city's Democratic mayoral primary on June 16. Speaking from the White House and the Oval Office, Trump stated he would not tolerate socialist policies that might cause businesses to leave the capital, suggesting the federal government might take back the city and run it on a federal basis.

Janeese Lewis George, a D.C. Council member currently leading in polling, condemned the threat as an attack on democracy and Home Rule. She asserted that residents want a leader capable of standing up to the president. Other mayoral candidates, including Kenyan McDuffie, Rini Sampath, and Gary Goodweather, also rebuked the comments and vowed to fight federal overreach.

While Trump has the authority to deploy the National Guard and control the police department—recalling a previous federal law enforcement surge from August to September of the prior year—legal analysts note that a unilateral revocation of the city's self-government would require approval from Congress.