Trump voiced strong disapproval of Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who identifies as a democratic socialist. While reviewing other contenders, including Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa, he refrained from making an official endorsement.
"We're not going to have -- if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same," Trump stated. He then added, "But we have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to."
The former president did not immediately specify the legal authority he would invoke for such a federal takeover. His focus quickly shifted to the nation's capital.
"We could run D.C. We're looking at D.C. We don't want crime in D.C. We want the city to run well," he asserted. He mentioned that his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was reportedly collaborating with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on the matter.
Trump has consistently advocated for federal control over Washington D.C., often criticizing local leaders for perceived ineffectiveness and claiming the city is plagued by rising crime. However, preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department indicates a 25% decrease in violent crime and an 8% overall reduction in crime compared to the same period last year.
"We would run it so good, it would be run so proper, we'd get the best person to run it," Trump remarked concerning Washington on Tuesday. "And we know the crime would be down to a minimum, would be much less. And, you know, we're thinking about doing it, to be honest with you."
He continued, "We want a capital that's run flawlessly, and it wouldn't be hard for us to do it. And we've had a good relationship with the mayor and we're testing it to see if it works."
It's important to note that Washington D.C. operates with a degree of autonomy under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which grants residents the ability to elect their mayor and city council. Nevertheless, the final oversight of the district's laws and budget remains with Congress. For instance, in 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives blocked two local bills, including one that sought to update the district's criminal code.
Trump then reverted to discussing New York City, expressing strong opposition to the city's ranked-choice voting system and characterizing his relationship with current Mayor Eric Adams as a "test."
"New York City will run properly," he concluded. "We're going to bring New York back."
