Former President Donald Trump has labeled Washington, D.C. council member Janeese Lewis George a "communist" and vowed to block policies he claims would undermine public safety and reverse his administration's crime reduction efforts. Lewis George, a self-described Democratic socialist, recently won the Democratic mayoral primary and is poised to become the city's next mayor.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated his intention to meet with Lewis George and asserted that Washington has become safer under his administration. He also pledged to oppose any agenda that would weaken immigration enforcement, policing, or the city's criminal justice system. Trump specifically cited concerns about policies such as emptying prisons, making D.C. a sanctuary city, opposing ICE, welcoming undocumented immigrants, resisting anti-crime crackdowns, and expanding cashless bail.
"I will meet with Janeese Lewis George, but must forewarn everyone that Washington, D.C., is again a Safe and Prestigious Community," Trump wrote. "Many people, including myself, have worked long and hard to get it there, and we will not let it be destroyed by a Communist adherent who has no intention to, MAKE WASHINGTON GREAT AGAIN!"
Lewis George's primary victory sets the stage for a potential confrontation with Trump, who has frequently made reducing crime in Washington and reshaping the nation's capital a focus of his political platform. Trump has previously suggested he would consider placing Washington under greater federal control if Lewis George were elected mayor.
During her mayoral campaign, Lewis George criticized Trump's deployment of the National Guard and increased federal law enforcement presence in Washington, calling the former a "direct attack" on the city's residents. She has advocated for expanded youth programs and community investments as alternatives to measures like curfews and federal enforcement. Lewis George's platform includes ending police cooperation with ICE, opposing youth curfews, implementing free public transportation, and promoting universal childcare.