It’s been more than a week since President Donald Trump issued the federal takeover of Washington, D.C. in response to alleged “high crime.” But in the midst of the ongoing chaos in the nation’s capital, many Black leaders are keeping their eye on the matter.
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Both times Trump has unleashed the National Guard have been in cities run by Black mayors — the first was in response to anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles earlier this year. He’s promised to send the National Guard to more cities across the country, listing Baltimore and Oakland, Calif. as “too far gone.”
Well, in response, Black city mayors are getting active against Trump and calling out his takeover…very publicly.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser was the first Black mayor to speak out after Trump’s infiltration. She took to X saying, “Any comparison to a war-torn country is hyperbolic and false,” NPR reported. As we previously reported, Trump claims crime is on the rise in the District, although reports from the Metropolitan Police Department say the exact opposite.
“There are very specific things in our law that would allow the president to have more control over our police department,” Bowser continued. “None of those conditions exist in our city right now.” On X, she even declared, “American soldiers and airmen policing American citizens on American soil is #UnAmerican.” Washington, D.C. has since filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott
When Trump called out his city, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott came down on the president. In an interview with CNN, Scott revealed what he believes are obvious motivations behind Trump’s targeting of certain cities.
“I think it’s very notable that each and every one of the cities called out by the President has a Black mayor,” Scott said. “Most of those cities are seeing historic lows in violent crime.” The mayor added that Black mayors across the country are accomplishing what Trump has not done yet: lower crime and unify communities.
“What he’s doing is dog whistling through this right-wing propaganda and, quite frankly, racist viewpoints that they have about these cities and trying to convince the American people that what they know is not true,” Scott continued.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams
New York City Mayor Eric Adams was bailed out of his federal case after Trump went to bat for him. To be expected, Adams caught major backlash after switching his political party and making appearances on Fox News. Given that he has promised to follow Trump’s immigration agenda, many were skeptical to see how Adams would respond to D.C. and Trump’s threats to “look at New York” next.
In response, Adams said if the government wants to help, they should start by addressing laws to prevent mass shootings. “I’m not part of the group that says, ‘We don’t want to work in coordination with the federal government.’ But we don’t need anyone to come in and take over our law enforcement apparatus,” Adams said during a press conference. “We got this under control,” he continued.
Oakland, Calif. Mayor Barbara Lee
Like the other Black mayors, Oakland, Calif. Mayor Barbara Lee knows Trump is eyeing her city as his next possible target. She spoke to USA Today calling Trump’s actions “fearmongering and diversionary.”
Lee continued saying if the president comes for Oakland, she’s prepared to fight. “A lot of what he does is to provoke unrest and that gives him an excuse, so we have to be prepared and ready to fight,” she said. The mayor reportedly has a contingency plan for when Trump might send in the National Guard.
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