U.S. President Donald Trump reignited political tensions in Washington after warning that he might reassert federal control over the capital if progressive Democratic candidate Janeese Lewis George wins the mayoral primary.
The statement was made on Thursday from the Oval Office, when the president was asked about the possible victory of Lewis George, a left-wing figure who has been gaining ground in local polls and whom some media outlets have compared to Zohran Mamdani, the socialist Democratic mayor of New York.
“We won’t tolerate it,” Trump warns
Trump threatens a federal takeover of Washington, D.C., if democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George is elected mayor pic.twitter.com/howVL7BBDy
— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) June 12, 2026
“I wouldn’t like that,” Trump replied when referring to a possible victory by the candidate.
He then went further and warned that his administration might “take back Washington” and administer it directly at the federal level.
“We won’t stand for it. We won’t lose our businesses,” said the Republican, in a statement that was interpreted as a direct threat against the local government of the District of Columbia.
The warning reignited the debate over the autonomy of Washington, a city that has operated under a self-governance model established by the Autonomy Act since 1973.
That same law allows the president to assume temporary control of the Metropolitan Police in specific emergency situations.
Trump had already invoked that authority in August 2025, when he placed the Metropolitan Police under federal control and activated the National Guard as part of a campaign against what he described as a wave of “rampant” crime in the capital.
The measure was met with opposition from residents and local officials, who sued the Trump administration and argued that violent crime had fallen by 26% during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year.
On Thursday, Trump once again defended his actions, stating that Washington is now “a safe place.”
He also highlighted his plans to beautify the city through improvements to parks, fountains, and monuments in preparation for the celebration of the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence on July 4.
Who is Janeese Lewis George?
Donald Trump threatened that the federal government would take over Washington, D.C., if self-described democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George wins the city’s Democratic mayoral primary https://t.co/8Ne1KV6OZa
— Bloomberg (@business) June 11, 2026
Janeese Lewis George, who identifies as a democratic socialist, leads in the polls over her main rival, Kenyan R. McDuffie, according to a Washington Post poll.
The voters surveyed believe she would be better equipped to handle issues such as affordable housing, public schools, and local services.
The candidate has promised to make Washington a more accessible city, to take political on Trump, and to improve the functioning of local government.
The political climate is particularly sensitive: only 6.4% of Washington’s residents voted for Trump in 2024, while the current Democratic mayor, Muriel Bowser, has seen her popularity decline due to her close ties to the president during disputes over public safety.
With the primaries just days away, Trump’s threat once again places Washington at the center of a national battle between federal power, local autonomy, and the rise of new progressive figures within the Democratic Party.
Filed under: Trump threatens to take control of Washington