Washington DC - President Donald Trump has suggested to reporters that the federal government should take over control of Washington DC to get on top of its crime and homelessness problem.

In a rant about what he sees as a problem with crime and homelessness in Washington DC, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that he would like to see the city come under Federal control.

The district is currently run by a council of 13 and a mayor. Congress has to review and approve any legislation the Council pushes through before it becomes law. It is considered by some to be a deeply undemocratic system that's rooted in historical racism.

In 1867, President Andrew Johnson vetoed a bill that would have granted citizens of the district the right to vote. While Congress overrode the veto, the rights were rescinded from the majority-black population when the decision was made to use federally appointed commissioners rather than a democratic local government.

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As a result, Washington DC is the only capital city of a democratic country that does not provide its citizens with the same voting and representative rights as every other citizen. The district's fight for statehood is also one directed against a history of racism and voter suppression.

This is all (admittedly simplified) context for Trump's statement aboard Air Force One on Wednesday, as a complete takeover of Washington DC by the federal government would eliminate the already small amount of democratic power that its citizens have.

"I think we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawlessly beautiful," Trump said. "And I think we should take over Washington DC."

Trump said that DC has a "great police department" that has simply not been utilized properly and even praised the district's mayor, Muriel Bowser. This, however, was not enough for the president.

"I think that we should govern the District of Columbia, it's so important, the DC situation," Trump told reporters. "Make it safe, people are getting killed, people are being hurt."

Trump's latter comment is a reference to the belief he has long shared that Washington DC has a huge problem with crime and homelessness. In January 2024, he called the problem "disgusting" and said that DC is "one of the most unsafe places you can go to, anywhere on Earth."

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While statistics published last year by the House Budget Committee do show an increase in crime by nearly 40% in the year prior, such statements by Trump are wildly exaggerated and seen by many to be prejudiced against the state's large African-American population.

According to the last census, Washington DC is made up of 46.6% white people and 44.4% black, giving it one of the most equal racial distributions in the country.

"Too much crime. Too much graffiti. Too many tents on the lawns. Those magnificent lawns and there are tents," Trump said. "And you know, it's a sad thing, homeless people all over the place. We gotta take care of the homeless. But you can't have that in Washington DC."

"When they come in to see me – like Macron is coming, the prime minister of the UK is coming, all these people are coming over to see me," Trump complained. "You can't let that happen."