WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared on Tuesday that she will not pursue re-election next year. This announcement follows a federal law enforcement intervention in the capital initiated by President Donald Trump.

In a social media video, Bowser shared her decision without mentioning Trump or directly addressing his recent actions against the city. Instead, she highlighted the collaboration with residents to enhance the city’s livability and urged them to unite against forces threatening their autonomy. “That is our North Star,” she emphasized, calling on citizens to resist bullies and uphold Home Rule.

Since her initial election in 2015, Bowser has served three terms, with the latest proving to be particularly challenging. She navigated a complex political landscape, balancing the need to maintain a relationship with Trump while addressing constituents’ calls for stronger resistance to his interventions.

Under Bowser’s leadership, Washington, D.C., a city heavily dependent on federal oversight, operates under a limited home rule agreement established in 1973. However, federal authorities still wield substantial influence over local governance, including budget approvals and legislative decisions made by the D.C. Council.

This federal involvement intensified in August when Trump enacted an emergency order targeting the city. This move federalized the D.C. police and deployed hundreds of National Guard troops, citing a mission to combat crime. Although the emergency order has expired, federal law enforcement and National Guard troops from both the district and neighboring states remain in place, despite ongoing legal challenges against the military presence.

Bowser in many ways cooperated with the administration’s efforts, including having city workers clear homeless encampments and work more closely with federal immigration agents. She acknowledged that the intervention had helped reduce crime in the city, which was already on the decline, but also criticized the deployment of the National Guard, saying those resources would be better spent on other matters. She also said the city would not cooperate with immigration enforcement operations in the city.

She faced criticism from constituents and some in her council for not standing up stronger to the Trump, who has lauded the D.C. mission as a resounding success.

Asked about Bowser’s decision not to run for reelection Tuesday evening, Trump said, “I got along with her very well.” Trump, however, claimed that his federal intervention made the city “better.”

The district, led by its attorney general, currently has a lawsuit against the administration, charging that the deployment of the National Guard is illegal. A federal judge sided with the city Nov. 20 and ordered that the deployment end. The administration filed a notice of appeal Tuesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Another set of plaintiffs is challenging the federal surge and the roundups being conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The mayor, a former city council member, also spent a large part of the year trying to get the House to release about $1 billion of the city’s funding that was frozen during battles over the federal budget. In addition, the city also bore the brunt of significant cuts to the federal workforce by the Department of Government Efficiency.

“For ten years, you and I have worked together on an ambitious agenda to restore faith in our government and ensure that every D.C. resident gets the fair shot they deserve,” she said in her announcement. Among her accomplishments were her role in bringing the NFL franchise back into the city, along with plans for a new stadium, as well as her part in keeping the district’s NBA and NHL teams.

Bowser came under fire early this year when she announced that the “Black Lives Matter” plaza painted on the street one block from the White House would be removed in response to pressure from Republicans in Congress.

Bowser’s decision opens the door for a number of possible candidates, although at least two of them, D.C. Council members Robert White Jr. and Brooke Pinto, have already announced they are running for the district’s U.S. House delegate seat. Fellow council member Janesse Lewis George remains a potential candidate.

Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University, said this past year has been one of the most intrusive and “heavy handed” in terms of the federal government’s involvement “in the day to day of the city’s politics and the city’s life. None of it is to make an excuse for Bowser” but the city’s lack of control over its own affairs has been clearly evident. Dallek called the moment “a pretty precarious time for the city.”

City council member Kenyan R. McDuffie thanked Bowser in a statement and praised her efforts in housing, education, public safety and economic development.

“As we look ahead to the upcoming year for the District, I have no doubt that Mayor Bowser will continue to be a tireless partner in improving the quality of life for all residents across the city,” McDuffie said.

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