DC Mayor Bowser reports ‘good meeting’ with Trump despite their past

In Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday that she and President-elect Trump “had a good meeting to discuss our priorities” for his upcoming term, despite their contentious relationship that began to erupt in 2020 during the George Floyd violence.

“President Trump and I want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said.

The Democratic mayor said he and Trump “discussed areas of collaboration between local and federal government, particularly our state employees, who underutilize state buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure.”

“I am hopeful that we will continue to find common ground with the President in his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20,” he added.

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The tone of the statement is a far cry from Bowser’s Trump-related message four years ago, when the mayor announced that a section of the road leading up to the White House that protesters spray-painted “Defund the Police” would be officially recognized by the District of Columbia as a “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” Bowser and Trump have come forward with the use of federal law to end the riots and protests that have hit the nation’s capital, as well as other American cities.

As for Bowser’s reference to “federal staff,” congressional staffers and members of Congress, have been victims of carjackings and other violent crimes over the past year.

A few weeks ago, a Texas congressman was targeted by a group of armed men who arrested about a dozen people during a morning walk in Washington, the Washington Post reported.

Trump made a promise on the campaign trail this year to revitalize D.C. and other American cities that he says have blighted in recent years under continuing policies that have fueled violent crime and emboldened criminals.

“We will rebuild our cities, including our capital in Washington DC, which has become a very dangerous and poorly controlled place. We will make them safe, clean and beautiful again. We will teach our children to love our country, to make it safe, clean and beautiful. We will respect our history. , and we always respect our great American flag,” said Trump at his rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

DC saw the biggest increase in violent crime between 2022 and 2023 compared to any other major city in the country, WUSA reported in June, citing Justice Department data highlighted by the Major Cities Chiefs Association earlier this year.

People walk down 16th Street after the words “Defund The Police” were painted on a street near the White House on June 8, 2020. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser named the section “Black Lives Matter Plaza” after days of protests over George Floyd. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

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DC police and public safety officials on Monday, however, pointed out how low violent crime in the capital is in 2024.

Since 2023, homicides in Washington are down 32%, violent crime is down 35% and overall crime is down 15%, announced DC Police Chief Pamela Smith and Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah.

The 35% dip in crime year-over-year marks a 30-year low in DC, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves noted earlier this month.

Bowser speaks at the University of the District of Columbia’s homecoming ceremony on the main campus in Washington, DC, on Nov. 15, 2024. (Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Smith on Monday advocated for better use of technology, saying “how the mayor has authorized an increase in CCTV cameras throughout the city.”

The official also said the sweeping DC crime bill introduced earlier this year has served as a “motivator” for officers, expressing how they feel they can “become the police again” with returned or new equipment to use on the streets.

The bill also made it easier for judges to order pretrial detention.

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Appiah, on the other hand, acknowledged that arresting suspects suspected of violent crimes before trial – rather than releasing them back onto the streets to reoffend – contributed to the conflict.

“Those who commit violent crimes, especially with guns, sometimes need to be prosecuted,” Appiah said, according to WRC-TV.