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 upcoming term, despite their previously contentious relationship that hit a fever pitch in 2020 during the George Floyd riots.
“President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said.
The Democratic mayor said she and Trump “discussed areas for the collaboration between local and federal government, especially 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,” she added.
NYPD OPERATING IN ‘HEIGHTENED THREAT ENVIRONMENT’ IN ADVANCE OF NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION
D.C. Mayor Bowser appears to be warming up to working with President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his second term. (Getty Images)
The statement’s tone is a far cry from Bowser’s messaging related to Trump four years ago, when the mayor declared that a portion of the street leading up to the White House that 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 the federal law enforcement to quell the riots and protests that engulfed the nation’s capital, as well as other American cities.
As for Bowser’s reference to the “federal workforce,” congressional staffers and even a member of Congress, have fallen victim to carjackings and other violent crimes over the past year.
Just weeks ago, a congressional staffer from Texas was targeted by a group of armed men who held up about a dozen other people during the morning commute in Washington, the Washington Post reported.
Trump made it a promise on the campaign trail this year that he would revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have deteriorated in recent years under progressive policies that have fueled violent crime and emboldened offenders.
“We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington DC, which has become a very dangerous and badly managed place. We’re going to 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.
D.C. saw the largest surge in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other large city in the country, WUSA reported in June, citing Department of Justice data highlighted by the Major 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. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has renamed that section “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after days of protests over George Floyd. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
DC VIOLENT CRIME DIPS 35% IN 2024, REACHES 30-YEAR LOW: US ATTORNEY
D.C. police and public safety officials on Monday, however, touted how violent crime in the capital in 2024 is on a record downward trajectory.
Since 2023, homicides in Washington have declined by 32%, violent crime has dropped by 35% and overall crime is down 15%, DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah announced.
The 35% dip in year-over-year crime constitutes 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, D.C., on Nov. 15, 2024. (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Smith on Monday championed better use of technology, crediting how “the mayor approved the increase of 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 like they “could police again” with returned or new tools to use on the streets.
The bill also made it easier for judges to order pre-trial detention.
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Appiah, meanwhile, admitted that holding suspects accused of violent crimes ahead of trial – as opposed to releasing them back onto the street to re-offend – has contributed to the about-face.
“Those who commit violent crime, particularly with guns, sometimes need to be held pre-trial,” Appiah said, according to WRC-TV.