President Donald Trump on Tuesday instructed a federal takeover of New York City and Washington.
The feedback got here when Trump, throughout a gathering of his Cupboard on the White Home, was requested about New York Metropolis’s upcoming mayoral election.
Trump attacked Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, and ticked by the opposite contenders, together with Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, although he declined to endorse anybody.
“We’re not going to have — if a communist will get elected to run New York, it might probably by no means be the identical. However we’ve large energy on the White Home to run locations when we’ve to,” Trump mentioned.
Trump did not elaborate on what authority that will be as he then turned his focus to the nation’s capital.
“We may run D.C. We’re D.C. We do not need crime in D.C. We wish town to run effectively,” he mentioned. He mentioned his chief of workers, Susie Wiles, was working with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.
President Donald Trump speaks throughout a cupboard assembly within the Cupboard Room of the White Home in Washington, July 8, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP through Getty Photographs
Trump has lengthy referred to as for the federal authorities to takeover Washington, complaining that native leaders weren’t efficient and arguing town has grow to be riddled with crime.
In accordance with preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Division, violent crime is down 25% from this time final 12 months and all crime is down 8%.
“We might run it so good, it might be run so correct, we might get the perfect particular person to run it,” Trump mentioned about Washington on Tuesday. “And we all know the crime can be right down to a minimal, can be a lot much less. And, you already know, we’re enthusiastic about doing it, to be trustworthy with you.”
“We wish a capital that is run flawlessly, and it would not be arduous for us to do it. And we have had an excellent relationship with the mayor and we’re testing it to see if it really works,” he mentioned.
The district has some autonomy beneath the 1973 Residence Rule Act, which grants residents the power to handle affairs by electing a mayor and metropolis council members. However ultimate oversight of the district’s legal guidelines and price range are left to Congress. In 2023, for instance, the U.S. Home of Representatives blocked two local bills from going into impact, together with one that will have up to date the district’s legal code.
Trump circled again to speaking about New York Metropolis, railing in opposition to town’s ranked-choice voting and describing his relationship with Mayor Adams as a “check.”
“New York Metropolis will run correctly,” he mentioned. “We’ll convey New York again.”
