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Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump “had a great meeting to discuss our shared priorities” for his next term, despite his previously controversial relationship which reached a fever pitch in 2020 during the George Floyd riots.
“President Trump and I want Washington, DC to be the best and most beautiful city in the world, and we want the capital to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said.
The Democratic mayor said she and Trump “discussed areas of collaboration 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,” he added.
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D.C. 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 declared that a portion of the street leading to the White House that protesters spray-painted to read “Defund the Police” would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia like “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Bowser and Trump sparred publicly over the use of federal law enforcement to quell the unrest and protests that engulfed the nation’s capital as well as other American cities.
As for Bowser’s reference to the “federal workforce,” Congressional staff and even a member of Congresshave been victims of carjackings and other violent crimes in the past year.
Just a few weeks ago, a Texas congressional staffer was targeted by a group of gunmen who held up a dozen other people during the morning commute in Washington, D.C. Washington Post informed
Trump promised on the campaign trail this year to revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have deteriorated in recent years with 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 poorly managed place. We will make them safe, clean and beautiful again. We will teach our children to love our country, to honor our history and to always respect our great American flag,” Trump said at his sold-out rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
DC saw the largest increase in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other major city in the country. WUSA reported in Juneciting Justice Department data highlighted by the Association of Chiefs of Major Cities earlier this year.
People walk along 16th Street after “Defund The Police” was painted on the street near the White House on June 8, 2020. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has renamed this section “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after of days of protests for George Floyd. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
DC’S VIOLENT CRIME DROP 35% IN 2024, TO 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY
Police and public safety officials in D.C., however, announced Monday that violent crime in the capital in 2024 is on a record downward trajectory.
Since 2023, homicides in Washington are down 32%, violent crimes are down 35% and overall crime is down 15%, announced DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Lindsey Appiah.
The 35 percent year-over-year drop in crime marks 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)
Smith advocated better use of technology on Monday, crediting how “the mayor approved the increase in CCTV cameras across the city.”
The chief also said a sweeping D.C. crime bill enacted earlier this year served as a “morale booster” for officers, who expressed how they feel they “could go back to policing” with returned tools or new for use on the streets.
The bill also made it easier for judges to order pre-trial detention.
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Appiah, for his part, admitted that holding suspects accused of violent crimes before trial, rather than releasing them back to the streets to reoffend, has contributed to the turnaround.
“Those who commit violent crimes, especially with firearms, sometimes need to be tried before trial,” Appiah was quoted as saying. WRC-TV.
