D.C. Leaders Divided Over Strategy to Deal With Trump

As Republicans prepare to take over the White House, as well as both chambers of Congress, officials in Washington, D.C., are divided over a strategy to confront President-elect Donald Trump with a "resistance" mindset or find ways to work with him, the Washington Examiner reported on Wednesday.

This is considered especially important, because Republicans criticized the district on the campaign trail and members from both the House and Senate introduced legislation that would repeal home rule, leading to a growing sense of urgency among D.C. officials that they need to have a plan to push for statehood in place for whenever Democrats return to power.

"I think the next two years, the focus is going to be on defending home rule," shadow Sen.-elect Ankit Jain told the Washington Examiner. "But I think we need to continue to work on statehood, because there's going to be another election for Congress in two years and for president in four years, and when we have a better Congress and a better president, I want to make sure we're ready to seize the opportunity to pass statehood."

Jain added that "D.C. will be in the spotlight nationally over the next few years, because I do expect the national Republicans to really try to attack us, take away our rights."

While many D.C. officials, such as Jain, are convinced GOP promises to federalize the district will come to fruition or be something they'll have to spend much time and resources fighting against, others are hoping for a more collaborative relationship with Congress and the White House.

District of Columbia Council Chair Phil Mendelson told the Washington Examiner that "the conversation has been frustrating, because it's based on speculation. As we all know, there's a difference between campaign rhetoric and reality, right? Where I hope we, all of us, will be focusing is on issues that we're all concerned about, such as public safety and affordable housing and quality education."

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser has also shown a friendlier face to Trump and the incoming Republican majorities than other deep-blue areas of the country, saying she prefers to work with the incoming administration if possible.

Both Bowser and Mendelson have voiced agreement with Trump's promise to bring federal workers back to their offices downtown, hoping it will help revitalize downtown.

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