President Trump on Wednesday said the federal government should “take over the governance” of Washington, D.C.

“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless.”

Trump praised the District’s police department and said he gets along “great” with Mayor Muriel Bowser, who met with Trump after the 2024 election. Still, he railed against the conditions of the city, pointing to crime and the homeless population.

“The federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly,” Trump said. “And I like the mayor, I get along great with the mayor, they’re not doing the job – too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns, there’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents. It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place. We’ve gotta take care of the homeless.

“But we can’t have that in Washington, D.C. When they come in to see me – like Macron is coming, the prime minister of the UK is coming, all these people coming over to see me,” he continued. “We’ll have ultimately President Xi, we’ll have everybody. … You can’t let that happen.”

The District is governed by a council of elected representatives and a mayor. A 1973 law stipulates that Congress reviews all legislation passed by the D.C. Council before it becomes law. The president also appoints the District’s judges.

Trump has clashed with Bowser in the past, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests that jolted the District in 2020. He has repeatedly criticized the city’s appearance, suggesting it reflects poorly on the nation’s capital.

The Washington Post reported last week that the White House is preparing an executive order to increase penalties and enforcement of violent and petty crimes in the District, clear homeless encampments and remove graffiti.