Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said she had a “great meeting” with President-elect Trump.
“Today, President Trump and I had a great meeting to discuss our shared priorities for the President’s second term,” Bowser wrote in a statement on the social platform X. “President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation.”
This wasn’t the first meeting between Bowser and Trump.
In 2016, Bowser met with Trump at Trump Tower to discuss his transition into the White House, according to Axios. Bowser described their conversation as “wide-ranging,” touching on public transportation costs, and noted that Trump was “a supporter of the District of Columbia.”
Initially, their relationship appeared amicable, but it deteriorated over time. In 2018, Trump canceled a planned military parade in D.C., citing a $92 million price tag and blaming local politicians. Bowser responded sarcastically, calling herself the local official who had “finally” gotten through to the “reality star in the White House.”
By 2020, tensions had escalated further. After Bowser withdrew military and federal law enforcement personnel during the George Floyd protests, Trump criticized her as incompetent and accused her of repeatedly seeking “handouts” from the federal government. He claimed the National Guard had saved her from “great embarrassment” during the demonstrations.
The two clashed over the Black Lives Matter protests as well. Bowser sent a letter to Trump requesting the withdrawal of federal law enforcement, citing the peaceful nature of the protests.
Now, as Trump prepares to return to the White House, their relationship seems to have stabilized. In a statement on Monday, Bowser said she and Trump discussed opportunities for collaboration between Washington’s local government and the federal government. She highlighted potential partnerships in areas like the city’s federal workforce, “underutilized federal buildings, parks and green spaces, and infrastructure.”
“I am optimistic that we will continue to find common ground with the President during his second term, and we look forward to supporting a successful inauguration on January 20,” Bowser’s statement said.
