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Washington, D.C. 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 their previously conflictive 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 for collaboration between local and federal government, especially around our federal workforce, federal buildings, parks, and underutilized green spaces and infrastructure.”
“I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the president during his second term and look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20,” he added.
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DC 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, which protesters spray-painted to read “Defund the Police,” would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia as “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Bowser and Trump publicly sparred over the use of federal law enforcement to quell the riots and protests that ravaged 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 vehicle thefts and other violent crimes over the past year.
Just a few weeks ago, a congressional staffer from Texas was attacked by a group of armed men who robbed a dozen people during the morning commute to work in Washington, the Washington Post reported.
Trump promised during his campaign this year that he would revitalize DC and other American cities that he says have deteriorated 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 poorly managed place. Let’s 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 experienced the largest increase in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other large city in the country. WUSA reported in Juneciting Department of Justice data highlighted by the Big Cities Chiefs Association earlier this year.
People walk down 16th Street after “Defund The Police” was painted on the street near the White House on June 8, 2020. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser renamed that section to “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after days of protests over George Floyd. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
VIOLENT CRIME IN DC DECLINES 35% IN 2024, REACHES 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY
However, D.C. police and public safety officials on Monday touted how violent crime in the capital in 2024 is on a record downward trajectory.
Since 2023, homicides in Washington have decreased by 32%, violent crime has decreased by 35%, and overall crime has decreased by 15%, announced DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah.
The 35% drop in crime year over year 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 University of the District of Columbia welcome event on the main campus in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2024. (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Smith on Monday defended better use of technology and acknowledged that “the mayor approved the increase of CCTV cameras throughout the city.”
The chief also said that a sweeping D.C. crime bill enacted earlier this year served as a “morale booster” for officers, who expressed they felt they “could go back to policing” with new or returned tools to use. in the streets.
The bill also made it easier for judges to order preventive detention.
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Meanwhile, Appiah admitted that holding suspects accused of violent crimes before trial – rather than releasing them back onto the streets to reoffend – has contributed to the sea change.
“Those who commit violent crimes, particularly with firearms, sometimes need to be detained before trial,” Appiah said, according to WRC-TV.
