Bowser Discusses Working With Trump
It’s an old story in American politics: victory has a way of turning even the staunchest adversaries into suddenly eager partners. With Donald Trump’s decisive win in November, the winds have shifted, and the scent of power has many former critics flocking to Mar-a-Lago with olive branches in hand. Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Justin Trudeau—they’re all lining up, all smiles, for their chance to shake hands with the man they once criticized. But perhaps the most surprising pivot comes from Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser.
In an interview on MSNBC, Bowser struck an unusually conciliatory tone when discussing her recent meeting with the president-elect. Words like “forward-looking,” “candid,” and “shared priorities” peppered her statements. She acknowledged the unique relationship between the nation’s capital and the president, hinting at a fresh chapter in their dynamic. It’s a stark contrast to the venomous clashes that defined their first round in the political arena.
Let’s not forget the summer of 2020—a powder keg moment in America. Riots swept through D.C., federal forces were called in, and Bowser openly sparred with Trump over law enforcement tactics and the renaming of public spaces. She rechristened a section of 16th Street NW as Black Lives Matter Plaza, complete with a mural visible from the skies, in an open rebuke of Trump’s approach to the protests. She even commissioned a committee to identify historical monuments and landmarks in the District that could be “reconsidered” based on perceived oppressive legacies—a move that didn’t sit well with many Americans who value historical preservation, warts and all.
But that was then, and this is now. The political tides have shifted, and Bowser knows it. Trump isn’t just a former president—he’s the incoming president, and working against him this time could mean missing out on crucial federal support for the city she governs. Infrastructure, public safety funding, and local governance autonomy all depend on federal cooperation. Bowser, for all her previous defiance, isn’t blind to political reality.
Yet, while her tone might have softened, it’s unlikely that her ideological stripes have changed. Progressive policies, soft-on-crime rhetoric, and questionable urban governance have plagued her tenure. Crime remains stubbornly high in the District, businesses are fleeing once-thriving downtown areas, and many residents feel disillusioned by the state of their city. No friendly meeting with Trump is going to erase those issues overnight.
So, what’s behind this apparent olive branch? Is it genuine goodwill, or just political self-preservation? The latter seems far more likely. Bowser, like many other Democratic leaders, understands that antagonizing Trump for another four years could come at a steep cost. The federal government holds the purse strings for much of D.C.’s budget, and Trump is not known for rewarding his loudest critics with favors.
But this shift isn’t unique to Bowser. Across the political landscape, Democrats who once reveled in their anti-Trump resistance are now recalibrating their approach. They’ve realized that their relentless opposition didn’t yield the results they hoped for—it didn’t prevent Trump’s reelection, and it certainly didn’t win them public favor. If anything, it deepened political divides and alienated moderate voters who just wanted functioning cities, affordable groceries, and safe streets.
Bowser may be offering a handshake now, but history suggests that this détente will be fragile. When the next politically charged issue arises—be it federal oversight of city affairs, immigration policy, or law enforcement practices—it’s hard to imagine Bowser and Trump standing shoulder-to-shoulder in agreement. This “forward-looking” approach she speaks of may well be a temporary truce, not a permanent realignment.
Still, the fact that figures like Bowser are even attempting to hit the reset button tells us something important: Trump isn’t just a Republican president—he’s a force of political gravity. Leaders who once resisted his pull are now finding themselves orbiting closer, if only out of necessity.