Bowser Tightrope Act Shows Democrats New Path to Deal With Trump

This week, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser got her city back.

After walking a political tightrope for nearly a month since President Donald Trump declared an emergency in the District of Columbia and implemented a temporary federal takeover, Bowser regained control of the police department when House GOP leadership didn’t seek an extension of Trump’s 30-day order. How she was able to do it — striking up an unexpected tough-on-crime relationship with the president that kept him and his allies happy, while not alienating powerful Democratic Party figures — could serve as something of a road map for her party.

Trump has continued his name-calling of potential 2028 presidential hopefuls like Gavin Newsom, who has sought a more aggressive approach towards the president that he once built a short-lived rapport with during his first administration over California wildfires.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer seemingly has little to no communication with the White House even as the Hill deals with consequential funding decisions. Trump has also continued to feud with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, threatening to take over Chicago.

But somehow, Bowser, who called Trump a threat to democracy and DC just last year, now has the president calling her “very popular” and praising her as “great” to work with.

So, how exactly did the unusual duo get here?

Part of it could be their history.

Though the two share very little — if anything — ideologically, Trump and Bowser’s personal relationship dates back to before either were in their current offices.

Bowser, then a member of the District’s city council, attended the Trump International Hotel groundbreaking in 2014 that transformed DC’s historic Old Post Office into a high-end luxury hotel. Bowser also welcomed donations from members of the Trump family in her mayoral campaign in 2014. Trump directly gave $5,000 to Bowser’s 2015 inaugural committee.

During his first term, Trump and Bowser held occasional one-on-one meetings to discuss issues related to the capital city.

However, the two’s relationship also deeply soured in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020. Bowser subsequently allowed the painting and name change two blocks outside of the White House to “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” The Trump administration dismantled the plaza earlier this year.

Bowser also blamed Trump for the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The two got into a back-and-forth after Trump claimed he offered to send in the National Guard to deal with rioters that day, which the mayor denied.

But the tables have turned in Trump’s second administration.

Bowser has been able to enjoy credit for DC wins alongside Trump while maintaining her autonomy. She joined Trump in the Oval Office back in May to announce DC will host the 2027 NFL draft, for example.

At a briefing on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was “very grateful” for Bowser’s cooperation in the president’s public safety takeover, adding they look forward to continuing to work together.

Bowser touted that the federal surge has helped reduce violent crime, including carjackings in the city, while criticizing some aspects of Trump’s approach, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns targeting undocumented residents. Her decision to play nice with Trump annoyed some of her liberal colleagues on the city council, but ultimately, the mayor’s balancing act scored her a political victory.

Bowser has accomplished most of this task alone, with 88-year-old DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s near absence during the showdown.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who represents the District’s northern Virginia suburbs, said he believes the mayor has “done a pretty good job” of appeasing Trump without diminishing her own power.

“The mayor has been in a very difficult position and I think she’s doing her best to minimize DC’s losses and that’s meant doing a lot of things that she wouldn’t otherwise do,” Beyer said.

The question remains whether Bowser has created the playbook for other Democrats when it comes to working with the administration. Mayors targeted by Trump may follow suit to Bowser’s balancing act when it comes to working with the administration.

Trump has repeatedly shown he is willing to do whatever he believes necessary when it comes to using his executive power on issues he senses an opportunity, even if his actions are viewed by critics as federal overreach.

He has also shown little appetite for collaborating with congressional Democrats, meaning the likelihood of him bringing them to the table ahead of Sept. 30’s shutdown deadline appears slim.

With that in mind, Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), a former mayor of Tacoma, posed a question on the mind of Democrats across the country — is it easier to swallow your pride and work with the White House, rather than risk being steamrolled by a rampaging president?

“Every city is unique and every community is unique,” Strickland said to Bloomberg Government. “You have to look at the situation and ask the question, ‘am I going to let this president and this administration come in and use the National Guard and weaponize them against civilians, or should I work with them and at least have some say and control over how this is going to be.”