Bowser and Trump’s evolving relationship, explained

Published August 12, 2025 2:20pm ET



As President Donald Trump begins his takeover of Washington by federalizing the local police and activating the National Guard to combat the crime rate, it appears Mayor Muriel Bowser does not want to test her limits with the administration.

The mayor indicated on Monday that local officials would comply with the federal government’s directive, although she did call the administration’s actions “unsettling and unprecedented.” Still, she struck a more cooperative tone than Democratic lawmakers in Congress and on the District of Columbia Council, who have made their outrage known in the hours since Trump’s announcement.

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