Muriel Bowser, the mayor of Washington, D.C., this week signed an executive order to formalize her administration's cooperation with federal forces despite her vocal criticism of President Donald Trump's decision to federalize law enforcement in the city.
In the order issued on Tuesday, Bowser said Washington would "ensure coordination with federal law enforcement to the maximum extent allowable by law within the District" and requires that the city government "continue to communicate its priorities to federal counterparts and other ways the federal government can assist the District."
Progressive groups criticized the order, with Legal Defense Fund associate director counsel Todd A. Cox calling it "alarming, misguided, and profoundly disappointing" in a statement.
The mayor held a press conference on Wednesday to push back on accusations that her office is helping the federal takeover of Washington, D.C., saying, "Let me tell you, without equivocation, that the mayor's order does not extend the Trump emergency. In fact, it does the exact opposite. What it does is lay out a framework for how we will exit the emergency. The emergency ends on September 10."
The Pentagon has previously said that troops may remain on the ground in D.C. "until law and order has been restored … as determined by the president."
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.