Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump “had a great meeting discussing our shared priorities” for his upcoming term, despite their a previously contentious relationship which was red hot in 2020 during the George Floyd riots.
“President Trump and I want Washington, DC, to be the best, most beautiful city in the world, and we want the capitol to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said.
The Democratic mayor said she and Trump “discussed areas of cooperation between local and federal government, particularly around our federal workforce, underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure.”
“I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the president during his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20,” she added.
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Washington Mayor Bowser appears to be preparing to work with President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his second term. (Getty Images)
The tone of the statement is a far cry from Bowser’s Trump-related message four years ago, when the mayor said a stretch of street leading to the White House that protesters had spray-painted with the words “Defund the Police” would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia. as “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Bowser and Trump have sparred publicly over the use of federal law enforcement to quell the riots and protests that have gripped the capital, as well as other US cities.
As for Bowser’s reference to “federal manpower”, congressional staff and even member of congressthey became victims of carjackings and other violent crimes during the past year.
Just a few weeks ago, a congressional staffer from Texas was targeted by a group of armed men who detained about a dozen other people during a morning commute in Washington, D.C. The Washington Post reported.
On the campaign trail this year, Trump promised to revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have faltered in recent years under progressive policies that have fueled violent crime and emboldened criminals.
“We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington DCwhich has become a very dangerous and badly managed place. We will make them safe, clean and beautiful again. We will teach our children to love our country, to respect our history and to always respect our great American flag,” Trump said at his sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden in New York.
D.C. saw the largest increase in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other major city in the country, WUSA reported in Junereferring to data from the Ministry of Justice that was highlighted by the Association of Mayors of Large Cities earlier this year.
People walk along 16th Street after “Defund The Police” was painted on a street near the White House on June 8, 2020. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed the area “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after several days of protests against George Floyd. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
VIOLENT CRIME IN DC DROP 35% IN 2024, TO 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY
D.C. police and public safety officials on Monday, however, touted that violent crime in the capital is on a record downward trajectory in 2024.
Since 2023, homicides in Washington are down 32%, violent crimes are down 35%, and overall crime is down 15%, Washington Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah announced.
The 35% year-over-year drop in crime represents a new 30-year low for D.C., U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Mathew Graves noted earlier this month.
Bowser speaks at a homecoming event for the University of the District of Columbia on the main campus in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2024. (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
On Monday, Smith pushed for better use of technology, crediting how “the mayor has approved an increase in CCTV cameras across the city.”
The chief also said D.C.’s sweeping crime law passed earlier this year served as a “morale booster” for officers, who expressed they felt they “could work again” with returned or new tools to use on the streets.
The bill also made it easier for judges to order pretrial detention.
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Appiah, meanwhile, acknowledged that holding suspects accused of violent crimes before trial — as opposed to releasing them back onto the street to reoffend — contributed to the turnaround.
“Those who commit violent crimes, especially with guns, sometimes have to stand trial,” Appiah said, according to WRC-TV.
