Trump hints – President Donald Trump warned that the federal government could “take back” Washington, D.C., if democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George wins the district’s mayoral race. Her campaign faces backlash from multiple local figures who argue the comments attack h
When President Donald Trump stepped out of the Oval Office on Thursday, he didn’t just talk about the political fight ahead in Washington, D.C.—he suggested the federal government could step in.
Asked about the Democratic mayoral primary and the candidacy of Janeese Lewis George. Trump compared her to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. another democratic socialist. and said he “wouldn’t like it” if she wins. He then floated a scenario in which the country would “take back Washington and run it on a federal basis. ” adding: “We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses.” Trump called D.C. “a safe. beautiful place. ” tying the warning to the idea that the federal government should not allow the district to be governed the way his administration opposes.
The remarks land as Lewis George leads in polls and prediction markets ahead of the June 16 Democratic primary. Because D.C. is one of the most liberal places in the country. whoever wins that primary is heavily favored to win the general election. with Trump receiving less than 7 percent of the district’s vote in the 2024 election.
Several D.C. figures responded sharply. Rini Sampath. a cybersecurity director. said Trump’s comments left her “blown away. ” while she argued the president’s involvement is meant to “interfere with our local elections.” Sampath said D.C. is a “majority-Black city that has been denied full democracy for decades. ” and that federal interference carries the message that “the people of D.C. cannot be trusted to govern themselves.”.
Ernest Johnson. CEO and chairman of the nonprofit Friends of the Frank Reeves Center. said Trump’s stance “highlight[s] exactly why the people of the District of Columbia must remain vigilant in protecting Home Rule and local self-government.” Johnson said the decision should rest with “Washington. D.C. residents. ” not “the White House. Congress. political insiders. or special interests.” He also criticized local leaders he says “fail to stand up forcefully and independently” when D.C. residents’ interests are at stake. arguing that Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie “have failed to adequately protect D.C.’s autonomy. affordability. public safety. and accountability to residents.”.
Hope Solomon, who has worked in national security, pushed back as well. In a statement. she criticized opponents who “proudly said they wouldn’t work with this administration. ” saying what the district needs is a mayor “willing to sit at the table and negotiate.” Solomon argued that “You don’t protect D.C.’s autonomy by refusing to show up. You protect it by showing up. making your case. and fighting for the city. ” while warning the city is “facing a budget crisis.” She said “the last thing we need is political grandstanding” from people who “would rather make a statement than make progress.”.
The polling picture shows why Trump’s comments have gotten attention: only two polls have been released for the Democratic primary, and both place Lewis George ahead of the field.
In the Washington Post/George Mason University poll covering May 27 through June 1, with 836 likely Democratic voters, Lewis George received 36 percent. Kenyan McDuffie took 25 percent, with Vincent Orange at 4 percent and Gary Goodweather at 3 percent. Rini Sampath stood at 3 percent, while Ernest Johnson and Hope Solomon each had 1 percent.
In the City Cast/TrueDot poll, conducted May 12 through May 17 with 487 registered Democrats, Lewis George received 39 percent and McDuffie 34 percent. Gary Goodweather had 7 percent, Vincent Orange 5 percent, and Rini Sampath 4 percent. Ernest Johnson received 3 percent, while Hope Solomon had 2 percent.
This year’s primary will be the first in D.C. using a ranked-choice system. Voters will rank candidates in order of preference. After all votes are counted. if no candidate reaches 50 percent. the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed based on second choices. The process continues until a candidate reaches a majority.
Prediction markets are also favoring Lewis George. As of Thursday afternoon, she had an 89 percent chance on Kalshi and an 87 percent chance on Polymarket.
The markets work by letting traders buy and sell contracts tied to political outcomes, turning real-money wagers into probability estimates. The prices change as people react to polling, fundraising, candidate developments, and broader political trends. Organizers say the markets reflect trader sentiment at a given moment, and they do not always predict the future.
Lewis George serves on the Council of the District of Columbia. She earned a law degree from Howard University and worked in Philadelphia as a prosecutor. First elected to the council in 2020. she describes herself as a democratic socialist and has been endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. If elected, she would become the first democratic socialist mayor of Washington, D.C., as reported by The Washington Post.
Trump’s warning about taking federal control echoes rhetoric he has used before about D.C.’s home rule. this time centered on crime concerns. In an August 2025 post. Trump wrote: “Washington. D.C. must be safe. clean. and beautiful for all Americans and. importantly. for the World to see. If D.C. doesn’t get its act together. and quickly. we will have no choice but to take Federal control of the City. and run this City how it should be run. and put criminals on notice that they’re not going to get away with it anymore.” The post referenced an attack on an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency during an attempted carjacking.
D.C.’s home rule system traces back to the Home Rule Act signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973. allowing the district’s population to elect local leaders—while Congress retains significant control over local affairs. A revocation of that agreement would require Congress to act. since Article I. Section 8. Clause 17 of the Constitution gives Congress. not the president. local powers in D.C.
Senator Mike Lee and Representative Andy Ogles, both Republicans, have introduced legislation to revoke the home rule agreement, but it has not passed majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.
For now, the stakes are playing out in the ballot box. But with Trump’s comments putting “federal basis” governance back into the conversation, the debate in the weeks leading to June 16 is no longer only about policies—it’s about who gets to decide what happens in Washington, D.C.
Trump Janeese Lewis George D.C. mayoral race democratic socialist home rule Washington D.C. ranked-choice voting Kenyan McDuffie prediction markets