Latest news with #federaltakeover
CBC
16-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Trump wants to take over some U.S. cities. It's unlikely — but he can make life hard for them
Social Sharing U.S. President Donald Trump is squaring off against American cities — and in the last few weeks, he's implied that he would use the powers of the presidency to order a federal takeover of New York City and Washington, D.C. Spurred by his efforts to crack down on immigration and what he characterizes as high crime rates in urban areas, Trump's ongoing feud with several major U.S. cities has reached a boiling point in recent weeks. "We're thinking about doing it, to be honest with you. We want a capital that's run flawlessly," he said of Washington, D.C., during a cabinet meeting a few weeks ago. His threats have also extended to New York City, especially in reference to mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — a self-described socialist and rising star in the Democratic Party who Trump says would be a disaster if elected mayor in the country's biggest metropolis. "We're going to straighten out New York.... Maybe we're going to have to straighten it out from Washington," the president said earlier this month. Does he have the power to do that? It really depends on what — and where — Trump is referring to, according to experts who spoke with CBC News. But he could find ways to make life very difficult for city governments and their residents. WATCH | Trump to expand deportations in Democratic-run cities: Trump to expand deportations in Democratic-run cities 30 days ago What are the limits of his power? The Supreme Court has been "extraordinarily clear" that the federal government can't commandeer parts of state government, said David Schleicher, a lawyer and professor at Yale Law School who is an expert in state and city governments. "That is, they can't tell state officials or local officials how to run government, and so they can't take them over and make them do stuff," he explained. That's outlined in the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment, which delegates powers to the states that haven't been assigned to the federal government. Within that amendment, the federal government is forbidden from directing state or city officials to work toward its own objectives. "If what [Trump] means is like, remove the mayor and replace him with Rudy Giuliani or something — that's not something that's within his authority," said Schleicher. However, when Trump refers to having "tremendous power" at the White House to "run places when we have to" — as he did earlier this month, responding to a question about Mamdani's rise as a leading mayoral candidate — he could be referring to a few different outcomes. There are several ways the federal government can "pick fights" with cities, according to Philip Wallach, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank in Washington, D.C. That could include sending immigration officials or federal law enforcement into a city, not unlike what Trump did with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles earlier this summer, or dispatching the National Guard during the protests against the raids. WATCH | Why everything is an emergency for Trump: Protests, tariffs, borders: Why Trump says everything is an emergency | About That 1 month ago Description: U.S. President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to respond to immigration protests in California with a rarely used law invoked when the government believes a rebellion is underway. Andrew Chang breaks down how Trump's framing of these protests as an emergency — along with everything from trade deficits to fentanyl — exists as part of a larger pattern of governing by executive order with unchecked power. He could also threaten fiscal consequences through his own authority or with Congress's help — something he has done on several occasions to Chicago. New York City, in particular, is relying on the federal government for $7.4 billion US in funding during the 2026 fiscal year. Wallach compared that dynamic to the Trump administration's ongoing conflicts with major U.S. universities, including New York's own Columbia University. While the federal government doesn't control Columbia, it has used cuts to federal funding as leverage over the school. "I would expect that same kind of playbook to apply to New York City, but on a much bigger scale," said Wallach. D.C. more vulnerable to federal interference Trump has similarly mused about taking over Washington, D.C., claiming that the area is riddled with crime; data shows that violent incidents were down significantly in 2024. But presidential powers are a different story in the nation's capital. The District of Columbia, being a federal district and not a state, is much more vulnerable to meddling by the federal government and Congress. D.C. is managed under the Home Rule Act, a form of self-government that became law in 1973. But Congress reviews all legislation passed by the local council and has authority over the district's budget — and its residents don't have a voting representative in Congress. The president also appoints the district's judges. "They have rights in New York City that we do not have in D.C., so we're in a much more precarious position," said Vanessa Batters-Thompson, the executive director of the D.C. Appleseed Center for Law and Justice. D.C. has had many different government structures over the years, but she says "frankly, past federal management of the city has not worked very well," partly because it was difficult to balance federal power with local input. And while Trump has argued for a federal takeover of D.C. to crack down on disorder, Batters-Thompson notes that federal law enforcement already has a major presence in the city — from the FBI to the Capitol Police to the Park Police — in addition to D.C.'s local police force. A complete takeover of the district would probably mean eliminating the Home Rule Act, she said. But there are other options, like having Congress legislate the area heavily, or enlisting a "control board" — a '90s-era strategy in which the federal government appointed a team of officials to sit above D.C.'s mayor, acting as a backstop to spending and policy decisions. However, "I would argue that re-imposition of a control board is no longer necessary," said Batters-Thompson, partly because D.C.'s finances are now overseen by a chief financial officer who acts as "a sort of one-person control board." The political benefits of a Trump-city feud Trump sees a political opportunity when he positions himself as a counter-influence to solidly Democratic cities, said several of the experts who spoke with CBC News — a recent example being his public tête-à-tête with California governor Gavin Newsom during the Los Angeles immigration raid protests. "Trump is thinking about other cities where either the politicians in those cities or the population in general present an opposition to his vision as president," said Domingo Morel, an associate professor of political science and public service at New York University. He likened this to the friction that played out between Republican-governed states and largely Democratic cities in the '80s and '90s: "I think Donald Trump is taking that playbook ... and now saying we're going to do this at the federal level." Schleicher, the Yale law professor, said Trump and Mamdani have a relationship that is convenient to both of them. "I imagine Trump's political team views Mamdani as a gift to them, in that they get to oppose the kind of figure they'd like to oppose," said Schleicher, in reference to Mamdani being young, Muslim, and avowedly left-wing. Meanwhile, Mamdani can use Trump's general unpopularity among New Yorkers to his advantage, "because likening other figures to Trump is to his political benefit," Schleicher added. "This is the kind of politics to which I imagine there's going to be constant sniping because it benefits both of them."
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump suggests taking over New York City and Washington
President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested a federal takeover of New York City and Washington. The comments came when Trump, during a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House, was asked about New York City's upcoming mayoral election. MORE: Trump admin live updates Trump attacked Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, and ticked through the other contenders, including Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, though he declined to endorse anyone. "We're not going to have -- if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same. But we have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to," Trump said. Trump didn't elaborate on what authority that would be as he then turned his focus 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 said. He said his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was working with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. Trump has long called for the federal government to takeover Washington, complaining that local leaders weren't effective and arguing the city has become riddled with crime. According to preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime is down 25% from this time last year and all crime is down 8%. "We would run it so good, it would be run so proper, we'd get the best person to run it," Trump said about 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." "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," he said. MORE: Congressional intern killed in Washington, DC shooting: Officials The district has some autonomy under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which grants residents the ability to manage affairs by electing a mayor and city council members. But final oversight of the district's laws and budget are left to Congress. In 2023, for example, the U.S. House of Representatives blocked two local bills from going into effect, including one that would have updated the district's criminal code. Trump circled back to talking about New York City, railing against the city's ranked-choice voting and describing his relationship with Mayor Adams as a "test." "New York City will run properly," he said. "We're going to bring New York back."
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump suggests taking over New York City and Washington
President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested a federal takeover of New York City and Washington. The comments came when Trump, during a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House, was asked about New York City's upcoming mayoral election. MORE: Trump admin live updates Trump attacked Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, and ticked through the other contenders, including Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, though he declined to endorse anyone. "We're not going to have -- if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same. But we have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to," Trump said. Trump didn't elaborate on what authority that would be as he then turned his focus 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 said. He said his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was working with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. Trump has long called for the federal government to takeover Washington, complaining that local leaders weren't effective and arguing the city has become riddled with crime. According to preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime is down 25% from this time last year and all crime is down 8%. "We would run it so good, it would be run so proper, we'd get the best person to run it," Trump said about 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." "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," he said. MORE: Congressional intern killed in Washington, DC shooting: Officials The district has some autonomy under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which grants residents the ability to manage affairs by electing a mayor and city council members. But final oversight of the district's laws and budget are left to Congress. In 2023, for example, the U.S. House of Representatives blocked two local bills from going into effect, including one that would have updated the district's criminal code. Trump circled back to talking about New York City, railing against the city's ranked-choice voting and describing his relationship with Mayor Adams as a "test." "New York City will run properly," he said. "We're going to bring New York back."
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump suggests taking over New York City and Washington
President Donald Trump on Tuesday suggested a federal takeover of New York City and Washington. The comments came when Trump, during a meeting of his Cabinet at the White House, was asked about New York City's upcoming mayoral election. MORE: Trump admin live updates Trump attacked Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, who describes himself as a democratic socialist, and ticked through the other contenders, including Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa, though he declined to endorse anyone. "We're not going to have -- if a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same. But we have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to," Trump said. Trump didn't elaborate on what authority that would be as he then turned his focus 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 said. He said his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was working with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser. Trump has long called for the federal government to takeover Washington, complaining that local leaders weren't effective and arguing the city has become riddled with crime. According to preliminary data from the Metropolitan Police Department, violent crime is down 25% from this time last year and all crime is down 8%. "We would run it so good, it would be run so proper, we'd get the best person to run it," Trump said about 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." "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," he said. MORE: Congressional intern killed in Washington, DC shooting: Officials The district has some autonomy under the 1973 Home Rule Act, which grants residents the ability to manage affairs by electing a mayor and city council members. But final oversight of the district's laws and budget are left to Congress. In 2023, for example, the U.S. House of Representatives blocked two local bills from going into effect, including one that would have updated the district's criminal code. Trump circled back to talking about New York City, railing against the city's ranked-choice voting and describing his relationship with Mayor Adams as a "test." "New York City will run properly," he said. "We're going to bring New York back."
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump suggests running NYC if Mamdani elected and the White House taking control of DC
President Donald Trump said his administration is considering a federal takeover of Washington, D.C., and has suggested that he would also consider targeting New York City should Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani win the mayor's race this fall. His Tuesday remarks to reporters at the White House escalated his attacks against the 33-year-old Democratic nominee, who Trump has threatened with arrest, denaturalization and removal from the country while repeatedly branding him a communist. 'I'm not getting involved,' Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting. 'But I can tell you this. I used to say we will not ever be a socialist country. Well, I'll say it again. We're not gonna have it,' he continued. 'If a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same. But we have tremendous power at the White House to run places where we have to.' Trump then said 'we could run D.C.' 'I mean, we're looking at D.C,' he added. 'We're thinking about doing it, to be honest with you. We want a capital that's run flawlessly, and it wouldn't be hard for us to do it.' Trump said his chief of staff Susie Wiles is working with the capital city's Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser but did not offer any details about what that entails, or how the White House could upend decades of local control. The president has repeatedly publicly criticized the nation's capital, labeling it 'filthy and crime-ridden' and using the city as a test case for his tough-on-crime agenda. He issued an executive order in March creating a White House task force to boost police presence and immigration enforcement with plans to 'beautify' the city. In 1973, D.C. residents were granted the right to elect their own local government, including mayor and city council members, but Congress still maintains significant authority to review or overturn local laws. Residents of the city do not have any voting representatives in Congress; the city is represented by one non-voting delegate, Rep. Eleanor Norton. Mamdani, who defeated Andrew Cuomo in June's Democratic primary election for New York City mayor, has largely focused his campaign around affordability issues, including proposals for no-cost childcare, free buses and city-run grocery stores, which Trump and his allies are falsely calling plans to 'take over grocery stores.' Mamdani has warned that Trump's statements about him amount to 'intimidation' and 'represent an attack on democracy' that seek to undermine election outcomes. The state assemblyman, if elected, would be the city's first South Asian and Muslim mayor. He was born in Uganda and moved to New York when he was seven years old. He was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2018. Trump has amplified baseless allegations that Mamdani is 'here illegally,' and right-wing influencers and Republicans in Congress have called on the administration to deport him. New York Governor Kathy Hochul is among Democrats who have rallied against Trump's attacks. 'I don't care if you're the President of the United States,' she wrote. 'If you threaten to unlawfully go after one of our neighbors, you're picking a fight with 20 million New Yorkers — starting with me.'
