Trump, Congress and city council: Managing relationships, DC's mayor walks a tightrope

WASHINGTON – D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser drew a laughter from the country erstwhile she was asked however it feels to negociate a mercurial narration with the White House and Congress — while, by the way, besides trying to tally a metropolis of 700,000 people.

“It is conscionable similar you mightiness imagine," she deadpanned. "It's tricky.”

A fewer hours aft that remark Monday, Bowser's balancing enactment with President Donald Trump was connected nationalist display. She appeared with Trump to observe Washington being named arsenic big for the 2027 NFL draught and maintained a poker face portion Trump talked astatine magnitude astir immigration.

Bowser besides continues to lobby the House of Representatives to walk a elemental hole that would forestall the nation's superior from having to instantly chopped $400 cardinal from its 2025 fund successful the mediate of the fund year. The House fundamentally created the shortfall earlier this twelvemonth erstwhile it eliminated a little-known proviso successful a fund resolution. The alteration would unit the District of Columbia to instantly revert to its 2024 fund parameters.

And portion the Senate instantly passed a elemental fix, the House has failed to bring that measurement up for a ballot during 4 weeks successful league — contempt it being publically endorsed by Trump. Bowser has warned that layoffs, furloughs and work cuts could beryllium coming — and wrong days — if the contented isn't resolved.

Showdown looms betwixt DC politician and council

Now Bowser’s narration with the D.C. Council is coming nether nationalist stress. The third-term politician faces a looming showdown with the assembly implicit a big of fund issues and her caller woody to bring the NFL’s Washington Commanders back to the nation’s capital.

Citing the uncertainty surrounding the 2025 budget, Bowser has delayed submitting a projected 2026 fund to the assembly by much than a month. But D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has publically complained that Bowser is dragging retired the process.

“We can’t hold longer to commencement making the work reductions and cuts,” Mendelson said Monday of the 2025 fund cuts. “She has to determination guardant now.”

Bowser maintains she is pursuing the due timeline and protocol required by the city’s main fiscal officer. But Mendelson contends that Bowser was utilizing the hold to “jam the council” and unit it into a pressurized deadline wherever metropolis legislators wouldn’t person clip to decently question either the fund oregon the particulars of the Commanders agreement.

Debate expected connected stadium deal

That stadium woody should punctual a robust statement erstwhile it comes up for D.C. Council approval. When it was archetypal announced, Mendelson said helium didn't deliberation it had capable votes to pass. But antithetic members of the 12-person assemblage person staked retired wide varied archetypal positions.

First-term Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker called the accidental to bring shot backmost to the nation's superior and revitalize the tract of the aged RFK Stadium “a erstwhile successful a procreation opportunity.”

Parker said helium believed the woody would and should pass; helium simply wants to marque definite the metropolis gets the champion woody possible.

But seasoned Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen has taken a harder nationalist line. He says helium opposes the full conception of a stadium — particularly if immoderate important magnitude of nationalist wealth is spent connected the project.

“I don't deliberation a stadium returns backmost the economical investment. Every survey nether the prima shows that,” Allen said past week astatine a nationalist gathering to rally absorption to the stadium deal. “You tin emotion shot and emotion the Commanders and inactive deliberation this is simply a atrocious woody for the city.”

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